HOUSE BILL No. 4947

 

 

May 14, 2009, Introduced by Reps. Pearce, McMillin, Opsommer, Rogers and Kowall and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.

 

     A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled

 

"The Michigan penal code,"

 

by amending section 310b (MCL 750.310b), as added by 1996 PA 539.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 310b. (1) This chapter does not apply to a redemption

 

game if all of the following conditions are met:

 

     (a) The outcome of the game is determined through the

 

application of an element of skill by the player.

 

     (b) The award of the prize is based upon the player's

 

achieving the object of the game or otherwise upon the player's

 

score.

 

     (c) Only noncash prizes, toys, novelties, or coupons or other

 

representations of value that are redeemable only for noncash

 

prizes, toys, or novelties are awarded.


 

     (d) The wholesale value of a prize, toy, or novelty awarded

 

for the successful single play of a the game is not more than

 

$3.75.

 

     (e) The redemption value of coupons or other representations

 

of value awarded for the successful single play of a the game does

 

not exceed 15 times the amount charged for a single play of the

 

game or $3.75, whichever is less. However, players may accumulate

 

coupons or other representations of value for redemption for that

 

may be used to redeem only noncash prizes, toys, or novelties of a

 

greater value up to, but not exceeding, that have a wholesale value

 

of $250.00 wholesale value or less.

 

     (f) Any coupons or other representations of value awarded are

 

distributed at the time and site where the game is played.

 

     (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the outcome of a game

 

is not determined through the application of an element of skill by

 

a player if 1 or more of the following apply:

 

     (a) The ability of the player to succeed at the game is

 

affected by the number of prior wins by or the ratio of prior wins

 

to prior losses of players playing the game.

 

     (b) The outcome of the game, or the value of the noncash

 

prize, toy, novelty, or coupon or other representation of value

 

awarded for winning the game, can be controlled by a source other

 

than a player playing the game.

 

     (c) The success of the player is or may be determined by a

 

chance event that cannot be altered by player actions.

 

     (d) The ability of the player to succeed at the game is

 

determined by game features not visible or known to the player.


 

     (e) The ability of the player to succeed at the game is

 

affected by the exercise of a skill that no reasonable player could

 

exercise.

 

     (3) (2) As used in this section: , "redemption

 

     (a) "Noncash prizes, toys, or novelties" does not include any

 

of the following:

 

     (i) A gift card, cash, or any equivalent of cash.

 

     (ii) A play on a game of chance, bingo, or instant bingo or a

 

state lottery ticket.

 

     (iii) A firearm, tobacco, or an alcoholic beverage.

 

     (b) "Redemption game" means a single player or multi-player

 

mechanical, electronic, or manual amusement device involving a

 

game, the object of which is throwing, rolling, bowling, shooting,

 

placing, propelling, or stopping a ball or other object into, upon,

 

or against a hole or other target. Redemption game does not include

 

either of the following:

 

     (i) (a) Games A game such as roulette, beano, cards, dice,

 

wheels wheel of fortune, video poker, a slot machines machine, or

 

other games another game in which winning depends primarily upon

 

fortuitous or accidental circumstances beyond the control of the

 

player.

 

     (ii) (b) A game that includes a mechanical or physical device

 

which that directly or indirectly impairs or thwarts the skill of

 

the player.