Section 901.622. Standards for construction

Punchboards sold for use in this Commonwealth must be in compliance with the following standards:

(1) General.

(i) A punchboard must have a face sheet that covers the punchboard receptacles.

(ii) The flare for the punchboard may be manufactured to serve as the face sheet for the punchboard.

(iii) A punchboard, its punches and its flare must be assigned an identical serial number.

(iv) Each punchboard receptacle must contain an identical number of punches.

(2) Patterns. The punchboard must be manufactured with special care to eliminate patterns between punchboards, or portions of punchboards, from which the location or approximate location of winning punches may be determined. A manufacturer shall employ at least the following steps to ensure that no pattern exists:

(i) The form or permanent number sheets from which the individual punches shall be cut must be mixed prior to cutting.

(ii) After the punches have been crimped, the punches must be thoroughly mixed prior to insertion in punchboards.

(iii) When filling punchboards, workers may not alter the procedures for filling sets of punchboards.

(iv) No more than eight punchboards from one set of boards may be included in a case of punchboards for shipment to this Commonwealth.

(3) Serial numbers. Serial numbers set forth on the form or permanent number sheets shall be nonsequential to ensure that no pattern is created which would permit the tracking of boards through the serial number.

(4) Guaranteed numbers. Numbers or symbols designated as winners on the flare shall be guaranteed by the manufacturer as being present in the board. The manufacturer may place a sticker or equivalent on the back of each punchboard setting forth additional numbers or symbols that are guaranteed to be in the board. The additional numbers of symbols on the back of the board may not exceed 5% of the total punches in the board.

(5) Security. Punchboards must be sealed so it is impossible to determine the number or symbol of a punch prior to being punched out of the board by a method or device including the use of markings or light.

(6) Step-up boards.

(i) Cards, straws or punches that contain the winners in the step-up portion of a punchboard must be completely sealed to prevent premature winner identification. The items must be thoroughly mixed to ensure that no pattern of winners exists.

(ii) Step-up boards that contain winners covered by seals must have at least 25 different face sheets for use on that specific step-up board. Face sheets shall be utilized in a manner to ensure random distribution during the manufacturing process.

The provisions of this § 901.622 amended August 11, 2006, effective August 12, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 4475. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (265907) to (265908).