GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1989 SESSION
CHAPTER 406
AN ACT TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES TO THE GENERAL STATUTES REGULATING SLOT MACHINES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 14-306 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-306. Slot machine or device defined.
Any machine, apparatus or device is a slot machine or device
within the provisions of G.S. 14-304 G.S. 14-296 through 14-309, if
it is one that is adapted, or may be readily converted into one that is
adapted, for use in such a way that, as a result of the insertion of any piece
of money or coin or other object, such machine or device is caused to operate
or may be operated in such manner that the user may receive or become entitled
to receive any piece of money, credit, allowance or thing of value, or any
check, slug, token or memorandum, whether of value or otherwise, or which may
be exchanged for any money, credit, allowance or any thing of value, or which
may be given in trade, or the user may secure additional chances or rights to
use such machine, apparatus or device; or any other machine or device designed
and manufactured primarily for use in connection with gambling and which
machine or device is classified by the United States as requiring a federal
gaming device tax stamp under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue
Code. This definition is intended to embrace all slot machines and similar
devices except slot machines in which is kept any article to be purchased by
depositing any coin or thing of value, and for which may be had any article of
merchandise which makes the same return or returns of equal value each and
every time it is operated, or any machine wherein may be seen any pictures or
heard any music by depositing therein any coin or thing of value, or any slot
weighing machine or any machine for making stencils by the use of contrivances
operated by depositing in the machine any coin or thing of value, or any lock
operated by slot wherein money or thing of value is to be deposited, where such
slot machines make the same return or returns of equal value each and every
time the same is operated and does not at any time it is operated offer the
user or operator any additional money, credit, allowance, or thing of value, or
check, slug, token or memorandum, whether of value or otherwise, which may be
exchanged for money, credit, allowance or thing of value or which may be given
in trade or by which the user may secure additional chances or rights to use
such machine, apparatus, or device, or in the playing of which the operator
does not have a chance to make varying scores or tallies.
The definition contained in the first paragraph of this
section and G.S. 14-296, 14-301, 14-302, and 14-305 does not include
coin-operated machines, video games, and devices designed and manufactured for
amusement only, the operation of which depends upon the skill or dexterity of
the player. Included within this exception are pinball machines, video games,
and other arcade mechanical amusement devices that enable the
player, based on his skill or dexterity, to make varying scores or
tallies and to receive free replays or paper coupons that may be exchanged for
prizes with a value not exceeding ten dollars ($10.00), but may not be
exchanged or converted to money."
Sec. 2. G.S. 14-296 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-296. Illegal slot machines and punchboards defined.
An illegal slot machine or punchboard within the
contemplation of G.S. 14-295 through 14-298 is defined as one that shall not
produce for or give to the person who places coin or money or the
representative of either, the same return in market value each and every time
such machine is operated by placing money or coin or the representative of
either therein a device where the user may become entitled to receive
any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306."
Sec. 3. G.S. 14-301 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-301. Operation or possession of slot machine; separate offenses.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
operate, keep in his possession or in the possession of any other person, firm
or corporation, for the purpose of being operated, any slot machine that
shall not produce for or give to the person who places coin or money, or the
representative of either, the same return in market value each and every time
such machine is operated by placing money or coin or the representative of
either therein or device where the user may become entitled to receive
any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306.
Each time said machine is operated as aforesaid shall constitute a separate
offense."
Sec. 4. G.S. 14-302 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-302. Punchboards, vending machines, and other gambling devices; separate offenses.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
operate or keep in his possession, or the possession of any other person, firm
or corporation, for the purpose of being operated, any punchboard, slot
machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money,
credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306. machine
for vending merchandise, or other gambling device, by whatsoever name known or
called, that shall not produce for or give to the person operating, playing or
patronizing same, whether personally or through another, by paying money or
other thing of value for the privilege of operating, playing or patronizing
same, whether through himself or another, the same return in market value, each
and every time such punchboard, machine for vending merchandise or other
gambling device, by whatsoever name known or called, is operated, played or
patronized by paying of money or other thing of value for the privilege
thereof. Each time said punchboard, machine for vending
merchandise, or other gambling device, by whatsoever name known or called, slot
machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money,
credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306 is
operated, played, or patronized by the paying of money or other thing of value
therefor, shall constitute a separate violation of this section as to operation
thereunder."
Sec. 5. G.S. 14-304 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-304. Manufacture, sale, etc., of slot machines and devices.
It shall be unlawful to manufacture, own, store, keep, possess, sell, rent, lease, let on shares, lend or give away, transport, or expose for sale or lease, or to offer to sell, rent, lease, let on shares, lend or give away, or to permit the operation of, or for any person to permit to be placed, maintained, used or kept in any room, space or building owned, leased or occupied by him or under his management or control, any slot machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306."
Sec. 6. G.S. 14-305 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-305. Agreements with reference to slot machines or devices made unlawful.
It shall be unlawful to make or permit to be made with any
person any agreement with reference to any slot machines or device, device
where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or
any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306 pursuant to which the user
thereof may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or
anything of value or additional chance or right to use such machines or
devices, or to receive any check, slug, token or memorandum entitling the
holder to receive any money, credit, allowance or thing of value."
Sec. 7. This act shall become effective October 1, 1989.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 22nd day of June, 1989.