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TITLE 16ECONOMIC REGULATION
PART 9TEXAS LOTTERY COMMISSION
CHAPTER 402CHARITABLE BINGO OPERATIONS DIVISION
SUBCHAPTER CBINGO GAMES AND EQUIPMENT
RULE §402.323Card-Minding Systems--Device Standards

(a) The card-minding device must have a unique, permanent identification number, or have a unique identification number secured by password or code and accessible only by use of such password or code.

(b) The identification number must be coded into the software of the card-minding device.

(c) The card-minding device must automatically transmit its identification number to the site system or be known by the site system, to be recorded on the transaction log, each time the device is involved in a transaction with the site system.

(d) The card-minding device must be designed in such a manner to allow for one or more of the following daubing features:

  (1) Manual ball call: This requires the player to identify uniquely the ball call that has been made. This could be through a number of methods, for example: the selection of the number on a grid containing all 75 numbers; the selection of the letter from BINGO, then the number from a list of 15 numbers; or the entry through a keypad of the digits comprising the number. However, it requires the player to enter the numbers as they are called and therefore allows the player to enter a number in error. This method of daubing must enable the player to correct numbers entered in error.

  (2) Ball call confirm: This method requires the broadcast of the ball call information to the card-minding device. When the ball call is received by the card-minding device, the player must perform an action to confirm or enter the ball call. This is typically through the pressing of a key or the touching of the screen. This daub style requires the player to perform an action for each and every ball call that is made. If the player waits, and a number of ball calls are made without the player performing any action, the player must then touch the screen (or press enter) once for each ball called. The ball calls must be processed in the order they were drawn.

  (3) Semi-auto daub: This method requires the broadcast of the ball call information to the card-minding device. This method operates in the same manner as ball call confirm, except that, if the player allows multiple balls to be called without interacting with the card-minding device, a single action will daub all outstanding ball calls. The ball call that was most recently made by the caller is processed last and the bingo cards are scored with this number being the "last number" for any last number rule games.

  (4) Auto Daub: This method requires the broadcast of the ball call information to the card-minding device. As each ball call is received by the card-minding device, the card-minding device behaves as though the player performed the ball call confirm action. That is to say, the card-minding device will act automatically as each ball call is announced.

(e) The card-minding device must recognize bingo numbers called and after having the numbers entered through one of the methods in subsection (d) of this section, must electronically daub the number on all activated bingo cards enabled or loaded on the card-minding device containing those numbers in the winning pattern.

(f) If a card-minding device requires the player to manually enter ball call numbers, the card-minding device must allow the player to cancel or correct any numbers entered in error.

(g) The card-minding device must not allow a player to modify cards that are loaded and enabled for play.

(h) The card-minding device must recognize and display all winning bingo patterns achieved.

(i) The card-minding device must be programmed to only allow bingo cards purchased and loaded and enabled for play during a bingo occasion, to be in play during that occasion. Therefore, the card-minding system shall provide a means to erase, disable, or render unplayable the bingo cards loaded and enabled on each card-minding device played in a bingo occasion, prior to playing the same device in the next bingo occasion. Suggested means are at least one of the following:

  (1) on deactivation of the current bingo occasion;

  (2) by inserting the device into a charger;

  (3) by a timer within the device;

  (4) on activation of the next bingo occasion;

  (5) by automatically erasing all bingo cards and/or bingo card face numbers stored in the device after the last bingo game of the occasion; or

  (6) any other suitable means to ensure game integrity.

(j) All card-minding system approvals issued by the Commission prior to the effective date of this section remain valid. Any subsequent changes or modifications to an approved system require compliance with this section.

(k) A card-minding device utilizing a customer account may not permit customers to purchase any bingo equipment other than electronic bingo cards for play on the card-minding device.

(l) A card-minding device used with customer accounts must display the account balance at all times.

(m) A card-minding device shall not:

  (1) track and store any winnings from authorized bingo games;

  (2) replay any winnings;

  (3) be used to credit the player's winnings;

  (4) be used to purchase or play pull-tab bingo tickets; and

  (5) be used for video confirmation of pull-tab bingo tickets.

(n) The card-minding device may not be used:

  (1) to generate or determine the random letters, numbers, or other symbols used in playing the bingo card played with the device's assistance;

  (2) as a receptacle for the deposit of tokens or money in payment for playing the bingo card played with the device's assistance; or

  (3) as a dispenser for the payment of a bingo prize, including coins, paper currency, or a thing of value for the bingo card played with the device's assistance.


Source Note: The provisions of this §402.323 adopted to be effective July 1, 2012, 37 TexReg 4904; amended to be effective September 1, 2014, 39 TexReg 6834

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