§ 461a.8. Gaming vouchers.
(a) A slot machine licensee may utilize gaming vouchers and a gaming voucher system that has been tested and approved by the Board under § 461a.4 (relating to submission for testing and approval).
(b) The design specifications for a gaming voucher, the voucher verification methodologies utilized and any limitation on the value of a gaming voucher must be in compliance with technical standards on gaming vouchers under § 461b.3 (relating to gaming vouchers).
(c) The design specifications for a gaming voucher system must be in compliance with technical standards on gaming voucher systems under § 461b.3.
(d) Prior to issuing a gaming voucher, a slot machine licensee shall establish a system of internal controls for the issuance and redemption of gaming vouchers. The internal controls shall be submitted and approved by the Board under § 465a.2 (relating to internal control systems and audit protocols) and address:
(1) Procedures for assigning an asset number and identifying other redemption locations in the system, and enabling and disabling voucher capabilities for slot machines, fully automated electronic gaming tables, electronic wagering terminals and redemption locations.
(2) Procedures for issuance, modification and termination of a unique system account for each user in accordance with technical standards under § 461b.3.
(3) Procedures used to configure and maintain user passwords in accordance with technical standards under § 461b.3.
(4) Procedures for restricting special rights and privileges, such as administrator and override capabilities, in accordance with technical standards under § 461b.3.
(5) The duties and responsibilities of the information technology, internal audit, slot operations and finance departments, respectively, and the level of access for each position with regard to the gaming voucher system.
(6) A description of physical controls on all critical hardware such as locks and surveillance, including the location and security protocols applicable to each piece of equipment.
(7) Procedures for the backup and timely recovery of critical data in accordance with technical standards under § 461b.3.
(8) Logs used to document and maintain the details of Board-approved hardware and software modifications upon implementation.
(9) Procedures for the payment of the value of unredeemed gaming vouchers, which individually or in the aggregate equal $25 or more, to a patron whose identity can be determined by the slot machine licensee using the slot machine licensee’s player tracking system.
(10) Procedures for the retention, tracking and payment of the value of unredeemed gaming vouchers to the State Treasurer as required by Article XIII.1 of The Fiscal Code (72 P. S. § § 1301.1—1301.28a) regarding the disposition of abandoned and unclaimed property.
(e) The system of internal controls required to be submitted and approved by the Board under subsection (d) must also include the procedures to be applied in the following instances:
(1) The slot machine licensee chooses to pay a patron the value of a gaming voucher notwithstanding the fact that the gaming voucher system is inoperable rendering it unable to determine the validity of the gaming voucher at the time of payment.
(2) The slot machine licensee chooses to pay a patron the value of a gaming voucher notwithstanding the fact that the gaming voucher system failed to verify and electronically cancel the gaming voucher when it was scanned.
(f) At the end of each gaming day, the gaming voucher system must generate reports and the reports must be provided to the finance department, either directly by the system or through the information technology department. The report, at a minimum, must contain the following information:
(1) A report of all gaming vouchers that have been issued which includes the asset number and the serial number of the slot machine, and the value, date and time of issuance of each gaming voucher.
(2) A report of all gaming vouchers that have been redeemed and cancelled by redemption location, including the asset number of the slot machine or location if other than a slot machine, the serial number, the value, date and time of redemption for each voucher, the total value of all gaming vouchers redeemed at slot machines, and the total value of all gaming vouchers redeemed at locations other than slot machines.
(3) The unredeemed liability for gaming vouchers.
(4) The readings on gaming voucher related slot machine meters and a comparison of the readings to the number and value of issued and redeemed gaming vouchers, as applicable.
(5) Exception reports and audit logs.
(g) A slot machine licensee shall immediately report to the Board evidence that a gaming voucher has been counterfeited, tampered with, or altered in any way which would affect the integrity, fairness, reliability or suitability of the gaming voucher.
(h) Upon presentation of a gaming voucher for redemption at a slot machine, fully automated electronic gaming table or electronic wagering terminal, the total value of which gaming voucher cannot be completely converted into an equivalent value of credits that match the denomination of the slot machine, fully automated electronic gaming table or electronic wagering terminal, the slot machine, fully automated electronic gaming table or electronic wagering terminal must perform one of the following procedures:
(1) Automatically issue a new gaming voucher containing the value that cannot be completely converted.
(2) Not redeem the gaming voucher and immediately return the gaming voucher to the patron.
(3) Allow for the additional accumulation of credits on an odd cents meter or a meter that displays the value in dollars and cents.
(i) A slot machine licensee that utilizes a system or a slot machine that does not print a test gaming voucher that is visually distinguishable from a valid gaming voucher whenever the slot machine is tested on the gaming floor must have in place internal controls approved by the Board under § 465a.2 for the issuance of test currency from the cashiers’ cage and the return and reconciliation of the test currency and any gaming vouchers printed during the testing process.
(j) Except as provided in subsection (n) with regard to employee redemption of gaming vouchers, a gaming voucher shall be redeemed by a patron for a specific value of cash, slot machine credits, or, at the request of the patron, a check issued by the slot machine licensee in the amount of the gaming voucher surrendered. Notwithstanding the forgoing, a slot machine licensee may not permit a gaming voucher that is presented for redemption to be redeemed if it knows, or has reason to know, that the gaming voucher:
(1) Is materially different from the sample of the gaming voucher approved by the Board.
(2) Was previously redeemed.
(3) Was printed as a test gaming voucher.
(k) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (j), if a patron requests to redeem a gaming voucher by mail, the slot machine licensee may effectuate the redemption. However, the gaming voucher may only be redeemed by a cage supervisor in accordance with internal controls approved by the Board under § 465a.2, which include the following:
(1) Procedures for using the gaming voucher system to verify the validity of the serial number and value of the voucher, which, if valid, must be immediately cancelled electronically by the system.
(2) Procedures for the issuance of a check equal to the value of the voucher.
(l) Gaming vouchers redeemed at cashiering locations shall be transferred to the finance department on a daily basis. Gaming vouchers redeemed by slot machines, fully automated electronic gaming tables and electronic wagering terminals shall be counted in the count room and forwarded to the finance department upon the conclusion of the count process. Gaming vouchers redeemed at automated gaming voucher redemption machines shall be forwarded to finance upon the conclusion of the cashiers’ cage reconciliation process. Finance department representatives with no incompatible functions shall perform, at a minimum, the following:
(1) On a daily basis:
(i) Compare gaming voucher system report data to any count room system report data available for that gaming day to ensure proper electronic cancellation of the gaming voucher.
(ii) Calculate the unredeemed liability for gaming vouchers, either manually or by means of the gaming voucher system.
(2) On a weekly basis, compare appropriate slot machine meter readings to the number and value of issued and redeemed gaming vouchers per the gaming voucher system. Meter readings obtained through a slot monitoring system may be utilized to complete this comparison.
(m) A slot machine licensee shall provide written notice to the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations of any adjustment to the value of any gaming voucher. The notice shall be made prior to, or concurrent with, the adjustment.
(n) Employees of a slot machine licensee who are authorized to receive gratuities under § 465a.19 (relating to acceptance of tips or gratuities from patrons) may only redeem gaming vouchers given as gratuities at a cashiers’ cage. Gaming vouchers valued at more than $100 shall only be redeemed at the cashiers’ cage with the approval of the supervisor of the cashier conducting the redemption transaction.
(o) A gaming voucher system must be configured to alert a slot machine licensee to any malfunction. Following a malfunction of a system, a slot machine licensee shall notify the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations and the casino compliance representatives at the licensed facility within 24 hours of the malfunction and may not utilize the system until the malfunction has been successfully eliminated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations may permit a slot machine licensee to utilize the system prior to its being successfully restored, for a period not to exceed 72 hours, provided that:
(1) The malfunction is limited to a single storage media device, such as a hard disk drive.
(2) In addition to the malfunctioning storage media device, the system contains a backup storage media device not utilized in the normal operation of the system. The backup device must immediately and automatically replace the malfunctioning device to permit a complete and prompt recovery of all information in the event of an additional malfunction.
(3) Continued use of the malfunctioning system would not inhibit the ability to perform a complete and prompt recovery of all information, and would not otherwise harm or affect the normal operation of the system.
(p) Other than a modification to a gaming voucher system required on an emergency basis to prevent cheating or malfunction and approved by the Board under § 461a.4(m), a modification to a gaming voucher system may not be installed without the gaming voucher system having undergone the testing and approval process required under § 461a.4.
Authority The provisions of this § 461a.8 amended under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202, 1207, 13A02(1), (2), (2.1), (4) and (6), 13A25(c), 13A62(a), 1321 and 1322.
Source The provisions of this § 461a.8 amended September 26, 2008, effective December 26, 2008, 38 Pa.B. 5316; amended September 25, 2009, effective September 26, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 5562; amended February 26, 2010, effective February 27, 2010, 40 Pa.B. 1082; amended January 31, 2014, effective February 1, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 599; amended December 15, 2017, effective December 16, 2017, 47 Pa.B. 7563. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (377537) to (377538) and (370313) to (370316).
Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 465a.19 (relating to acceptance of tips or gratuities from patrons).
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