§735.  Violations; penalties

A.  Any person, association, or corporation which violates any provision of this Chapter including the specifically enumerated acts contained in Subsection B of this Section or any rule or regulation of the office shall be subject to a civil penalty imposed by the office as further provided in R.S. 4:721 and to suspension or revocation of its license as further provided in R.S. 4:705.

B.  Any person, association, or corporation which commits any of the following acts shall, upon conviction, be subject to a criminal penalty, and be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for one year, or both:

(1)  Making any false statement in any application for a license under this Chapter or a license issued pursuant to R.S. 4:718.

(2)  Holding, operating, or conducting any game of chance either without a license issued by a parish or municipal governing authority or without a license issued by the office.

(3)  Knowingly falsifying or making any false entry in any books or records with respect to any transaction connected with the holding, operating, and conducting of any game of chance.

(4)  Refusing to allow the licensing parish or municipal governing authority or the office access to any premises where a game of chance is being conducted or to any record or book relative to gaming activity.

(5)  Intentionally causing, aiding, abetting, or conspiring with another to cause any person to violate any provision of this Subsection.  In addition to suffering any such penalty which may be imposed, a licensee shall forfeit any license issued to it under this Chapter.

(6)  Offering for sale, lease, rental, or furnishing in any other manner whatsoever, any electronic video bingo machine, or part, component, or supply, intended for use therewith except an authorized manufacturer, supplier, or distributor pursuant to R.S. 4:724(F) and R.S. 4:733(H).

(7)  Possessing any electronic video machine or component, parts, or supplies intended for use therewith except manufacturers, distributors, or lessors and organizations licensed by a municipality or parish to conduct electronic video bingo who are in possession of such machines under the provisions of R.S. 4:724 and R.S. 4:733 and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to R.S. 4:724(F) and R.S. 4:733(H).

(8)  Possessing, displaying, selling, or otherwise furnishing to any person any deal pull-tabs except as provided for in R.S. 4:725.

(9)  Using net gaming proceeds in whole or in part for any uses other than educational, charitable, patriotic, religious, or public spirited purposes.  For purposes of this Section "net gaming proceeds" shall not include accounting or other professional services not otherwise prohibited by R.S. 4:715(A)(6).

C.  Any person, association, or corporation which violates any other provision of this Chapter not listed in Subsection B may be imprisoned for not more than six months or fined not more than five hundred dollars, or both.

D.(1)  It shall be unlawful for any person associated or affiliated with a charitable gaming licensee to benefit from any part of the net gaming proceeds of that charitable gaming licensee.

(2)  The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to a contribution or disbursement of net gaming proceeds made to, or for the direct benefit of, a group or activity provided that both of the following occur:

(a)  The contribution or disbursement is not in violation of Paragraph (B)(9) of this Section.

(b)  Not more than one-half of the participants of the group or activity receiving the contribution are members or immediate family members of members of the charitable gaming licensee making the contribution or disbursement.

(3)  For purposes of this Subsection, "net gaming proceeds" shall not include accounting or other professional services not otherwise prohibited by R.S. 4:715(A)(6).

(4)  The provisions of this Subsection shall not be construed to limit or impair the payment of compensation to bingo workers for working bingo games as provided by R.S. 4:715(A)(2)(b).

(5)  Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection may be fined not more than five thousand dollars, imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than one year, or both.

Acts 1999, No. 568, §3, eff. June 30, 1999; Acts 2012, No. 710, §1.