(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (j) of Section 19801, the commission shall not deny a license to a gambling establishment solely because it is not open to the public, if all of the following are true:
(1) The gambling establishment is situated in a local jurisdiction that has an ordinance allowing only private clubs, the gambling establishment was in operation as a private club under that ordinance on December 31, 1997, and it met all applicable state and local gaming registration requirements.
(2) The gambling establishment consists of no more than five gaming tables.
(3) Video recordings of the entrance to the gambling room or rooms and all tables situated therein are made during all hours of operation by means of closed-circuit television cameras, and these recordings are retained for a period of 30 days and are made available for review by the department upon request.
(4) The gambling establishment is open to members of the private club and their spouses in accordance with membership criteria in effect as of December 31, 1997.
(b) A gambling establishment meeting the criteria set forth in subdivision (a), in addition to the other requirements of this chapter, may be licensed to operate as a private club gambling establishment until November 30, 2003, or until the ownership or operation of the gambling establishment changes from the ownership or operation as of January 1, 1998, whichever occurs first. Operation of the gambling establishments after this date shall only be permitted if the local jurisdiction approves an ordinance, pursuant to Sections 19961 and 19962, authorizing the operation of gambling establishments that are open to the public. The commission shall adopt regulations implementing this section. Before the commission’s issuance of a license to a private club, the department shall ensure that the ownership of the gambling establishment has remained constant since January 1, 1998, and the operation of the gambling establishment has not been leased to a third party.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 16. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018