Reports of Suspicious Wagers

Reports of Suspicious Wagers (a) As used in this section, “suspicious wager” means a wager which a sports pool licensee knows or in the judgment of it or its directors, officers, employees and agents has reason to suspect is being attempted or was placed: 1. In violation of or as part of a plan to violate or evade any federal, state or local law or regulation prohibiting wagering on any amateur non collegiate or collegiate sport or athletic event; 2. In violation of or as part of a plan to violate or evade any federal, state or local law or regulation prohibiting wagering by, or on behalf of, a coach or participant in a sport or athletic event; 3. Has no business or apparent lawful purpose or is not the sort of wager which the particular patron would normally be expected to place, and the sports pool licensee knows of no reasonable explanation for the wager after examining the available facts, including the background of the wager; or 4. With knowledge or intent to violate the integrity of the sport in which it was placed. Wagers that indicate cheating, manipulation, or interference with the regular conduct of sport shall also trigger the reporting requirements of Rule 3.19. (b) A sports pool licensee: 1. Shall file with the commission, by using a form developed by the commission, a report of any suspicious wager, if it involves or aggregates to more than $5,000 in funds or other assets; and 2. May file a report of any suspicious wager, regardless of the amount if the licensee believes it is relevant to the possible violation of any law or regulation. (c) The report in subsection (b)(1) shall be filed no later than 5 calendar days after the initial detection by the licensee of facts that may constitute a basis for filing such a report. If no suspect was identified on the date of the detection of the incident requiring the filing, a licensee may delay filing a report for an additional 5 calendar days to identify a suspect. In no case shall reporting be delayed more than 10 calendar days after the date of initial detection of a reportable transaction. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, the licensee shall immediately notify, by telephone, appropriate staff of the commission in addition to timely filing a report. (d) A licensee shall maintain a copy of any report filed and the original or business record equivalent of any supporting documentation for a period of three years from the date of filing the report. Supporting documentation shall be identified, and maintained by the licensee as such, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the report. A licensee shall make all supporting documentation available to the commission and any appropriate law enforcement agencies upon request. (e) A licensee and its directors, officers, employees, or agents who file a report pursuant to this regulation shall not notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported. Any report filed with the commission is confidential and may be disclosed only by the commission in the necessary administration of its duties and responsibilities under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act. Any report, whether written or oral, is absolutely privileged under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act and does not impose liability for defamation or constitute a ground for recovery in any civil action.