1. A. A facility operator shall develop written record retention procedures for its instant bingo machine operations.

2. B. All original books and records shall be:

   1. (1) Prepared and maintained in a complete, accurate, and legible form;
   2. (2) Stored in a format that ensures readability, regardless of whether the technology or software that created or maintains it has become obsolete;

   3. (3) Retained in a secure location equipped with a fire notification system at:

      1. (a) The facility; or
      2. (b) An off-site location approved by the Commission for the express purpose of document storage;
   4. (4) Kept immediately available for inspection by the Commission during all hours of operation;
   5. (5) Organized and indexed in a manner designed to provide immediate accessibility to the Commission; and
   6. (6) Destroyed only after expiration of the minimum retention period required under this regulation.
3. C. On submission of a written request by a facility operator, the Commission may, authorize destruction prior to the expiration of the minimum retention period required under this regulation.

4. D. Unless a request for destruction is submitted in writing and approved in writing by the Commission, a facility operator shall retain indefinitely original books and records documenting:

   1. (1) Ownership of the facility;
   2. (2) Internally initiated investigations and due diligence;
   3. (3) Personnel matters;

   4. (4) Destruction of documents including:

      1. (a) The identity of the document;
      2. (b) Period of retention; and
      3. (c) Date of destruction.
5. E. Unless a request for destruction is submitted in writing and approved in writing by the Commission, a facility operator shall retain for a minimum of five years all original books and records.
6. F. Nothing in this regulation shall be construed as relieving a facility operator of any obligation to prepare or maintain books and records required by any other federal, State, or local governmental entity.

Authority: Criminal Law Article, §§ 12-301. 1 and 12-308; State Government Article, §9-110; Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01— .19 adopted as an emergency provision effective August 26, 2013 (40:20 Md. R. 1650); adopted permanently effective December 12, 2013 (40:24 Md. R. 2019)

Regulation .06A amended effective October 22, 2018 (45:21 Md. R. 976)

Regulation .14B amended effective May 25, 2026 (53:10 Md. R. 459)