1. (a) A certificate holder may utilize Direct Bet Coupons in accordance with this section.
2. (b) Direct Bet Coupons may be produced instantaneously through the use of computerized systems, such as player-operated kiosks or a system utilized by casino staff, or may be received from a gaming service provider or produced by the certificate holder.

3. (c) Direct Bet Coupons may not be issued by a certificate holder or utilized in a licensed facility until all of the following occur:

   1. (1) The design specifications of the proposed coupons are submitted to the Bureau of Gaming Operations and approved in accordance with § 601a.10(a) (relating to approval of table game layouts, signage and equipment).
   2. (2) A system of internal procedures and administrative and accounting controls governing the inventory, distribution and redemption of the coupons is submitted and approved as part of the certificate holder’s internal controls in accordance with § 465a.2 (relating to internal control systems and audit protocols).

4. (d) Direct Bet Coupons issued to a patron by a certificate holder must contain all of the following:

   1. (1) The name or logo of the certificate holder.
   2. (2) The value of the coupon which can be identified when viewing the coupon through the surveillance system of the certificate holder.
   3. (3) A serial number, barcode, QR code or other mechanism to be used to identify, verify and track coupons.
   4. (4) Restrictions regarding redemption including the type of game and wagers on which the coupon may be used.
   5. (5) A statement specifying the date on which the coupon expires, which can be identified when viewing the coupon through the surveillance system of the certificate holder.
   6. (6) The name or player identification number of the rated player to whom the coupon is being issued.
5. (e) The marketing department, or other department as specified in the certificate holder’s internal controls, and the finance department shall be responsible for administering the Direct Bet Coupon program. The marketing department shall be responsible for distributing the coupons to patrons. The finance department shall be responsible for maintaining the Direct Bet Coupon ledger and administering the coupon accounting procedures in subsection (f).

6. (f) Each certificate holder shall maintain a Direct Bet Coupon ledger which serves as an inventory of Direct Bet Coupons, which shall comply with the following:

   1. (1) The Direct Bet Coupon ledger shall contain all of the following information relating to coupons produced instantaneously:

      1. (i) Serial number.
      2. (ii) Date and time of issuance.
      3. (iii) Value of coupon.
      4. (iv) Status of the coupon, that is, issued, expired, voided or redeemed.
   2. (2) The Direct Bet Coupon ledger shall contain inventory information relating to coupons received from a gaming service provider or produced by the certificate holder, as further outlined under subsection (i).

7. (g) Documentation, voided coupons, redeemed coupons and coupons that were not distributed to patrons shall be forwarded on a daily basis to the finance department where the coupons shall be processed in all of the following ways:

   1. (1) Counted and examined for proper calculation and recording.
   2. (2) Reviewed for the propriety of signatures on the documentation and cancelled.
   3. (3) Reconciled by total number of coupons given to the marketing department for distribution to patrons, returned for reissuance, voided, distributed to patrons and redeemed.
   4. (4) Recorded, maintained and controlled by the finance department.
8. (h) Each certificate holder shall prepare and file with the Bureau of Casino Compliance a monthly report which lists, by denomination of Direct Bet Coupon, the total value of the coupons issued to patrons and the total value of the coupons redeemed by patrons.

9. (i) If the Direct Bet Coupons are received from the gaming service provider or produced by the certificate holder, the following shall occur:

   1. (1) Direct Bet Coupons shall be opened and examined by at least one member of the finance department and one member of the marketing department. Any deviation between the invoice accompanying the coupons and the actual coupons received shall be immediately reported to a supervisor from the finance department and to the Bureau of Casino Compliance.

   2. (2) A finance department supervisor shall record all of the following information in the Direct Bet Coupon ledger:

      1. (i) The date the coupons were received.
      2. (ii) The quantity and denomination of coupons received.
      3. (iii) The beginning and ending serial number of the coupons received.
      4. (iv) The name, signature and board-issued credential number of the individuals who checked the coupons.

   3. (3) A marketing department supervisor shall estimate the number of Direct Bet Coupons needed for each gaming day or promotion and complete a requisition document which contains all of the following information:

      1. (i) The date the requisition was prepared.
      2. (ii) The date for which the coupons are needed.
      3. (iii) The denomination and quantity of coupons requested.
      4. (iv) The name, signature and board-issued credential number of the marketing department supervisor completing the requisition.
      5. (v) The name, signature and board-issued credential number of the finance department supervisor authorizing the requisition.

   4. (4) Upon receipt of the requisition document, the finance department supervisor shall record in the Direct Bet Coupon ledger all of the following information before the coupons are issued to the marketing department supervisor:

      1. (i) The beginning and ending serial number of the coupons issued.
      2. (ii) The denomination and quantity of coupons issued.
      3. (iii) The name, signature and board-issued credential number of the finance department supervisor who issued the coupons.
      4. (iv) A record and explanation of coupons that were voided.
   5. (5) Direct Bet Coupons that are not issued to the marketing department shall be controlled by a finance department supervisor or above and stored in a secured and locked area approved by the Bureau of Casino Compliance in accordance with § 601a.10(g). The certificate holder shall include in its internal controls the location of the approved storage area.

   6. (6) The marketing department shall maintain a daily Direct Bet Coupon reconciliation form which must contain all of the following information:

      1. (i) The date.
      2. (ii) The beginning and ending serial numbers of the coupons received from the finance department.
      3. (iii) The denomination and quantity of coupons the marketing department has to distribute to patrons.
      4. (iv) The denomination and quantity of coupons the marketing department distributed to patrons.
      5. (v) The denomination, quantity and serial numbers of coupons remaining.
      6. (vi) The serial numbers of coupons that were voided and the reason the coupons were voided.
      7. (vii) Variations discovered and an explanation of the variations.
      8. (viii) The name, signature and board-issued credential number of the marketing department supervisor completing the form.
10. (j) At the end of the gaming day, a copy of the Direct Bet Coupon reconciliation form and Direct Bet Coupons that were not distributed to patrons shall be returned to the finance department. The marketing department may keep for use during the next gaming day coupons that were not distributed to patrons provided the coupons are stored in a secured and locked area approved by the Bureau of Casino Compliance in accordance with § 601a.10(f) and recorded on the daily Direct Bet Coupon reconciliation form for the next gaming day. Expired coupons shall be returned to the finance department on a daily basis.
11. (k) At least once every month, each certificate holder shall inventory the Direct Bet Coupons that are not distributed to patrons and record the result of the inventory in the Direct Bet Coupon ledger. The procedures to be utilized to inventory the coupons shall be submitted for approval as part of the certificate holder’s internal controls.

12. (l) When unused and expired Direct Bet Coupons are returned to the finance department, a finance department supervisor shall record all of the following information in the Direct Bet Coupon ledger:

    1. (1) The date the coupons were returned.
    2. (2) The beginning and ending serial numbers of the coupons returned.
    3. (3) The denomination and quantity of coupons returned.
    4. (4) The serial numbers of any coupons that were voided and the reason the coupons were voided.
    5. (5) The name, signature and board-issued credential number of the marketing department supervisor returning the unused coupons and the name, signature and board-issued credential number of the finance department supervisor who received the unused coupons.
13. (m) A certificate holder may internally manufacture or print Direct Bet Coupons, provided that internal controls governing the production and subsequent reconciliation of the coupons are submitted and approved by the board.

14. (n) If included in the certificate holder’s internal controls, required under § 465a.2, a certificate holder may authorize a gaming service provider to print and mail Direct Bet Coupons directly to patrons in accordance with all of the following requirements:

    1. (1) The Direct Bet Coupons mailed by the gaming service provider must comply with subsections (c) and (d).

    2. (2) The certificate holder shall supply the gaming service provider, through electronic means, a list of the following information for each patron to whom the Direct Bet Coupon shall be mailed:

       1. (i) The patron’s name.
       2. (ii) The patron’s address.
       3. (iii) The denomination of the Direct Bet Coupon.
       4. (iv) The expiration date of the Direct Bet Coupon.
       5. (v) A serial number on each Direct Bet Coupon.
    3. (3) The Direct Bet Coupon issued must include a means such as magnetic strip, bar code or QR code that will enable the certificate holder’s computer system to identify the information required under subsection (n)(2).
    4. (4) The information in subsection (n)(2) shall be provided to the finance department which shall maintain the information for purposes of inventory and reconciliation as required under subsections (f) and (g).
    5. (5) Direct Bet Coupons issued must be electronically cancelled in the certificate holder’s computer system immediately upon redemption or during the counting of the table game drop boxes as provided in § 465a.25 (relating to counting and recording of slot cash storage boxes and table game drop boxes).
    6. (6) The certificate holder is responsible for ensuring that the gaming service provider does not mail Direct Bet Coupons to individuals on the casino self-exclusion list under Chapter 503a (relating to casino self-exclusion) or the exclusion list under Chapter 511a (relating to persons required to be excluded).

15. (o) A certificate holder may utilize a computerized system that complies with the requirements in this section, provided that all of the following occur:

    1. (1) The computerized system creates Direct Bet Coupons that comply with the requirements in subsection (d).
    2. (2) The computerized system provides an equivalent audit trail and allows for the segregation of duties to satisfy the requirements in this section.
    3. (3) The certificate holder includes in its internal controls required under § 465a.2 procedures governing the production, recording and reconciliation of the computer-generated Direct Bet Coupons.

Authority

The provisions of this § 603a.22 added under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202(b)(30), 13A02(1) and (2) and 13B02(a)(3), (6), (7) and (9).

Source

The provisions of this § 603a.22 added January 10, 2025, effective January 11, 2025, 55 Pa.B. 261.