Operators and Distributors

Operators and Distributors. (a) Any person or entity desiring to rent, lease, repair and/or service electronic video bingo or pull-tab machines to a licensed charitable organization for use in this state shall: 1. Comply with and meet all criteria as set forth in the Charitable Bingo Law and the rules adopted thereunder; 2. Be issued and maintain all applicable federal, state, and local licenses; 3. Apply for an operator's license or a distributor’s license on forms prescribed by the Commission, submit an application fee as prescribed in section (b) of this rule, and submit the appropriate monthly rate for any part of the month such machine is placed in service; 4. Operators must purchase all machines from a licensed distributor and/or licensed manufacturer; 5. Distributors must purchase all machines from a licensed manufacturer. (b) Operators and distributors must apply for license renewals on forms prescribed by the Commission no less than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the current license and submit the application fee with the renewal application. (c) Operators and distributors shall notify the Commission in writing of the shipment of any machines into the state of Mississippi no less than five (5) days prior to the date of delivery. This notification must include: 1. Make, model numbers, individual serial numbers and the number of machines to be sold or leased and shipped; 2. Intended date of shipment, destination, date of shipment, and bill of lading; and 3. An affidavit stating any differences, however slight, between the incoming machines and the prototype previously approved by the Commission. (d) A license may be suspended and/or revoked by the Commission upon the Commission's determination that the licensee has not complied with the conditions of licensing or has failed to submit a requested report. (e) The Commission may deny, restrict, suspend, limit, or revoke a license as an operator or distributor of electronic video bingo or pull-tab machines when it ascertains an applicant has solicited electronic video bingo or pull-tab business prior to being licensed by the Commission. (f) Each operator and distributor must file a report on forms prescribed by the Commission no later than the 15th of each month and pay the per machine fee for each machine in service for any part of a month. The report must itemize each machine by its physical location and the charitable organization who is leasing such machine. (g) All application fees are non-refundable. (h) Operators and distributors are authorized to enter into service and maintenance agreements with charitable organizations who have purchased electronic pull-tab devices. All such agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. The rate to be charged shall not exceed the reasonable market rate for such services as determined by the Commission. (i) All rental agreements between the distributor or operator and/or the charitable organization must be submitted to the Commission for approval prior to execution. (j) Any such applicant shall provide copies of the previous three (3) years federal and state tax returns with the application.