Notice of Comments Issued [43 Pa.B. 2244]
[Saturday, April 20, 2013]Section 5(g) of the Regulatory Review Act (71 P. S. § 745.5(g)) provides that the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (Commission) may issue comments within 30 days of the close of the public comment period. The Commission comments are based upon the criteria contained in section 5.2 of the Regulatory Review Act (71 P. S. § 745.5b).
The Commission has issued comments on the following proposed regulation. The agency must consider these comments in preparing the final-form regulation. The final-form regulation must be submitted within 2 years of the close of the public comment period or it will be deemed withdrawn.
Close of the Public IRRC Comments Reg. No. Agency/Title Comment Period Issued 125-166 Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Slot Machines and Table Game Controls,
Equipment, Credit and Rules
43 Pa.B. 834 (February 9, 2013)3/11/13 4/10/13
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Regulation #125-166 (IRRC #2981)Slot Machines and Table Game Controls, Equipment, Credit and Rules April 10, 2013 We submit for your consideration the following comments on the proposed rulemaking published in the February 9, 2013 Pennsylvania Bulletin. Our comments are based on criteria in Section 5.2 of the Regulatory Review Act (71 P. S. § 745.5b). Section 5.1(a) of the Regulatory Review Act (71 P. S. § 745.5a(a)) directs the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (Board) to respond to all comments received from us or any other source.
1. § 627a.7. Wagers.—Miscellaneous clarity.
House Money Wager
In paragraph (a)(7), we have clarity concerns related to subparagraphs (i) and (ii), which appear to be inconsistent. According to subparagraph (i), a House Money Wager shall ''win if the first two cards of either the Player's Hand or Banker's Hand, or both, are a pair.'' In this situation, a player wins if the first two cards of either the player's hand or banker's hand is a pair. However, under subparagraph (ii), a House Money Wager shall ''lose if the first two cards of either the Player's Hand or Banker's Hand do not contain a pair.'' (Emphasis added.) We ask the Board to clarify the circumstances when a House Money Wager would win and when a House Money Wager would lose.
We ask the Board to address similar issues in § 629a.7(a)(7)(i) and (ii) (relating to wagers in Midibaccarat), as well as § 631a.8(a)(7)(i) and (ii) (relating to wagers in Baccarat).
2. § 659a.6. Asia Poker rankings.—Miscellaneous clarity.
Joker
Subsection (a) describes how the joker shall be used and ranked for completion of a straight, flush, straightflush or royal flush. Subsection (b) ranks the permissible Poker hands at the game of Asia Poker. In ranking the hands, paragraph (b)(1) includes the use of a joker, whereas paragraphs (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(5) and (b)(6) do not include the use of the joker. We ask that the Board clarify these provisions to ensure consistency in the use of the joker.
Similarly, we ask the Board to review and clarify subsection (d) regarding the use of the joker.
3. § 659a.10. Procedures for dealing the cards from an automated dealing shoe.—Miscellaneous clarity.
Determining the starting position
Paragraph (a)(2) states that the dealer shall use the procedures authorized under § 659a.5(g) to determine the starting position for dealing the cards; however, paragraph (a)(1) already requires that the procedures under § 659a.5 (relating to shuffle and cut of the cards; procedures for determining the starting position for dealing cards) have been completed. We ask the Board to review and clarify these two provisions.
4. § 663a.11. Procedures for completion of each round of play.—Miscellaneous clarity.
Losing Tie Wagers
Paragraph (j)(1) provides for a player to place a Tie Wager. Subparagraph (j)(1)(i) requires a dealer to pay winning Tie Wagers if the high hand or low hand, or both, of the player is identical in point value with the high hand, low hand, or both, of the dealer. However, subparagraph (j)(1)(ii) requires a dealer to collect losing Tie Wagers if the high hand or low hand of the player is not identical in point value with the high hand or low hand of the dealer. Subparagraph (j)(1)(ii) seems to contradict (j)(1)(i). It is unclear whether the Board intends for a player who places a Tie Wager to win or lose if the high hand is identical in point value to the dealer but the low hand is not identical in point value to the dealer, or vice versa (i.e., high hand is not identical in point value but low hand is identical in point value). We ask the Board to review subparagraph (j)(1)(ii) and clarify the circumstances when the dealer shall collect all losing Tie Wagers.
5. Miscellaneous clarity.
In § 663a.6(a), the Board should correct the second sentence to read, ''The point value of all non-face cards is their denomination.''
SILVAN B. LUTKEWITTE, III,
Chairperson[Pa.B. Doc. No. 13-742. Filed for public inspection April 19, 2013, 9:00 a.m.]
