Section 450. Approval of equipment used to perform network bingo

Article 2. General Requirements

A. The department shall set manufacturing and testing criteria for all equipment used to perform network bingo. Equipment used to perform network bingo shall not be sold, leased, or otherwise furnished to any person in the Commonwealth of Virginia for use as part of network bingo until an identical sample of equipment containing identical proprietary software has been certified by a testing facility that has been formally recognized by the department as a testing facility that upholds the standards of integrity established by the department. The testing facility must certify that the equipment conforms, at a minimum, to the requirements set forth in this chapter. Once the testing facility reports the test results to the department, the department will either approve or disapprove the equipment and inform the network provider of the results. If any such equipment does not meet the department's criteria, it shall be recalled and shall not be distributed in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The cost of testing shall be borne by the network provider of such equipment.

B. No network bingo provider shall knowingly sell or otherwise provide to an organization and no organization shall knowingly use equipment to perform network bingo unless it conforms to the requirements set forth in this chapter.

C. If a defect in any equipment used to perform network bingo is discovered by or reported to the department, the department shall notify the network bingo provider that is using the equipment containing the alleged defect. Should the department, in consultation with the network bingo provider, determine that a defect exists and should the department determine the defect affects game security or otherwise threatens public confidence in the game, the department may, with respect to any equipment used to perform network bingo still located within the Commonwealth of Virginia, require the network bingo provider to issue a recall of all affected equipment.

D. Department employees shall have the right to inspect all equipment used to perform network bingo. The department, at its discretion, may require additional testing of any equipment to perform network bingo at any time. Such additional testing shall be at the network provider's expense and shall be a condition of the continued use of such equipment.

E. Equipment used to perform network bingo shall have a permanently affixed identification badge that cannot be removed without leaving evidence of tampering. This badge shall be affixed to the exterior of the equipment and shall include the following information:

1. Manufacturer name;

2. A unique serial number;

3. The equipment model number;

4. The date of manufacture; and

5. Any other information required by the department.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 33, Issue 04, eff. November 17, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 18.2-340.15 of the Code of Virginia.