Chapter 5.10
AMUSEMENTS – AMUSEMENT MACHINES AND DEVICES

Sections:

5.10.010    License required.

5.10.020    Pinball machines, music machines, and all coin-operated amusement devices.

5.10.030    Music machines.

5.10.040    Pool tables.

5.10.050    Card tables.

5.10.060    Punchboards.

5.10.070    Shuffleboards.

5.10.080    Shufflebowlers.

5.10.090    Skating rinks.

5.10.100    Bowling alleys and pinball alleys.

5.10.110    Licenses and fees.

5.10.120    Transfer and changes in ownership.

5.10.130    Posting of licenses.

5.10.140    Violation – Penalty.

5.10.150    Licensing in best interests of city.

5.10.160    Revocation or denial of license.

5.10.010 License required.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation, excepting and excluding all charitable and nonprofit organizations, to operate or to maintain the following named amusements or amusement devices: pool tables, card tables, punchboards, shuffleboards, shufflebowlers, skating rinks, bowling alleys, pinball alleys, pinball machines, music machines, or any and all other coin-operated amusement devices, without having first obtained a license therefor, as hereinafter provided. (Ord. 626 § 2, 1952)

5.10.020 Pinball machines, music machines, and all coin-operated amusement devices.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining one or more so-called pinball machines, or like coin-operated devices, excepting music boxes, are hereby required to obtain a “master license” therefor, the fee for which shall be $250.00 annually, payable on the first day of each fourth month of the calendar year; further providing, that said “master license” fee shall not be prorated for less than any three-month period; and further, in addition to the aforesaid “master license” said person, firm, or corporation, operating or maintaining one or more such machines shall pay to the city recorder a license fee of $2.50 for each such game or device operated during any month or a fraction thereof, payable in advance on or before the first day of each month or upon the date such game or device may be placed in operation; further providing, that the games or devices licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall be played or operated for amusement only; and it shall be unlawful for the owner, licensee, proprietor, or operator of the place where such device may be located to redeem in cash any slug or token used in playing such machine, or to give the player thereof any article of value for exchange for slugs or tokens or on account of playing such game or device. (Ord. 626 § 3, 1952)

5.10.030 Music machines.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining music machines shall pay a license fee of $2.00 per month per machine, such license fee to be due and payable on or before the first day of each month or upon the date such music machines may be placed in operation, and such license so issued shall expire on the last day of each calendar month for which the same is issued and shall not be prorated as to fraction of a month. (Ord. 626 § 4, 1952)

5.10.040 Pool tables.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining billiard tables or pool tables shall pay a license fee of $10.00 per table per annum, such license fee to be due and payable on or before July 1st of each year and shall not be transferable; and, provided further, that such license fee shall not be prorated or issued for a period of less than one year. (Ord. 626 § 5, 1952)

5.10.050 Card tables.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining one or more card tables shall pay a license fee of $120.00 annually for the first such card table together with $30.00 per table for each additional table so operated or maintained; further providing, that said license fee shall be due or payable on or before the first day of every fourth month of the calendar year. Said license fee shall not be prorated for a period of less than three months. (Ord. 626 § 6, 1952)

5.10.060 Punchboards.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining punchboards or any so-called “question and answer” games shall pay a license fee of two percent of the gross sales upon said board or game; providing further, that prior to offering said board or game for sale, said license fee shall be paid to the city recorder and payment thereof evidenced in writing on the back of said board or game by the city recorder. (Ord. 626 § 7, 1952)

5.10.070 Shuffleboards.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining so-called shuffleboards shall pay a license fee of $2.50 per month per shuffleboard and each such license so issued shall expire on the last day of each calendar month for which the same is issued, and shall not be prorated as to fractions of a month. (Ord. 626 § 8, 1952)

5.10.080 Shufflebowlers.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining any so-called shufflebowler shall pay a license fee of $2.50 per shufflebowler per month and each such license so issued shall expire on the last day of each calendar month for which the same is issued and shall not be prorated as to fractions of a month. (Ord. 626 § 9, 1952)

5.10.090 Skating rinks.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining any skating rink shall pay a license fee of $1.00 per month and each such license so issued shall expire on the last day of each calendar month for which the same is issued and shall not be prorated as to fractions of a month. (Ord. 626 § 10, 1952)

5.10.100 Bowling alleys and pinball alleys.

Any person, firm, or corporation operating or maintaining any bowling alley or pinball alley shall pay a license fee of $5.00 per bowling alley or pinball alley per quarter and each such license so issued shall expire on the last day of every third calendar month for which the same is issued and shall not be prorated as to fractions of a quarter. (Ord. 626 § 11, 1952)

5.10.110 Licenses and fees.

All licenses and license fees herein provided for shall be payable at the office of the city recorder and shall be payable in advance for the period issued. (Ord. 626 § 12, 1952)

5.10.120 Transfer and changes in ownership.

Every license herein provided for shall be personal to the licensee and shall not be transferable and shall not be deemed a property right; and further provided, that it shall be the duty of every licensee hereunder to notify the city recorder in writing of any change in ownership of such amusement devices herein referred to by written notice directed to the city recorder within three days following any such change of ownership; and further provided, that failure to furnish such notice of any change of ownership shall constitute a violation of this chapter and be punished as hereinafter provided. (Ord. 626 § 13, 1952)

5.10.130 Posting of licenses.

All licenses herein provided for shall be publicly posted and shall be available for the inspection of the constable or marshal at all times, and for failure to do so any machine or amusement device herein referred to may be confiscated if found to be unlicensed or, in lieu thereof, the constable or marshal shall place upon said machine or device a “no play” sign or placard and/or take any other necessary steps to effectively place such machine out of operation forthwith. (Ord. 626 § 14, 1952)

5.10.140 Violation – Penalty.

Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof in the municipal court shall be fined not less than $25.00 or more than $250.00, or by imprisonment in the city jail not to exceed 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 626 § 15, 1952)

5.10.150 Licensing in best interests of city.

This chapter is adopted pursuant to the police powers conferred upon and inherent to the city of Rainier, and it is hereby deemed for the best interests of said city that such games, amusements, and devices be licensed rather than to allow the same to be operated without police regulation. (Ord. 626 § 16, 1952)

5.10.160 Revocation or denial of license.

The city recorder is hereby empowered to revoke or refuse renewal of any license herein for a period of six months or less, upon conviction of the licensee of a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 626 § 17, 1952)