(a) Eligibility.--

(1) A person may be eligible to apply for a Category 3 slot machine license if the applicant, its affiliate, intermediary, subsidiary or holding company has not applied for or been approved or issued a Category 1 or Category 2 slot machine license and the person is seeking to locate a Category 3 licensed facility in a well-established resort hotel having no fewer than 275 guest rooms under common ownership and having substantial year-round recreational guest amenities. The applicant for a Category 3 license shall be the owner or be a wholly owned subsidiary of the owner of the well-established resort hotel. A Category 3 license may only be granted upon the express condition that an individual may not enter a gaming area of the licensed facility if the individual is not any of the following:

(i) A registered overnight guest of the well-established resort hotel.

(ii) A patron of one or more of the amenities provided by the well-established resort hotel.

(iii) An authorized employee of the slot machine licensee, of a gaming service provider, of the board or of any regulatory, emergency response or law enforcement agency while engaged in the performance of the employee's duties.

(iv) An individual holding a valid membership approved in accordance with paragraph (1.1) or a guest of such individual.

(1.1) The board may approve a seasonal or year-round membership that allows an individual to use one or more of the amenities provided by the well-established resort hotel holding a Category 3 slot machine license. The membership shall allow the member and one guest to enter the gaming floor at any time as long as the guest is accompanied by the individual owning or holding the membership. The board shall base its approval of a membership on all of the following:

(i) The duration of the membership.

(ii) The amenity covered by the membership.

(iii) Whether the fee charged for the membership represents the fair market value for the use of the amenity.

(1.2) The requirements under paragraph (1)(i), (ii) and (iii) and the membership fee required under paragraphs (1)(iv) and (1.1) shall not apply to the licensed facility if the Category 3 slot machine licensee makes notification to the board and a payment of $1,000,000 to the department for deposit into the General Fund.

(2) Notwithstanding section 1512(a) and (a.1) (relating to public official financial interest), if at the time of application an applicant has terminated public office or employment as an executive-level public employee within the last calendar year, the applicant shall be eligible to apply for a slot machine license under this section but may not be issued a license until one year following the date of termination as a public official or executive-level public employee. An application submitted in accordance with this paragraph shall not constitute a violation of section 1512(a) or (a.1).

(3) If the person seeking a slot machine license proposes to place the licensed facility upon land designated a subzone, an expansion subzone or an improvement subzone under the act of October 6, 1998 (P.L.705, No.92), known as the Keystone Opportunity Zone, Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone and Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone Act, the person shall, at any time prior to the application being approved, submit a statement waiving the exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits granted under the Keystone Opportunity Zone, Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone and Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone Act if the board approves the application.

(b) Location.--The following shall apply:

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (1.1), no Category 3 license shall be located by the board within 15 linear miles of another licensed facility.

(1.1) A Category 3 license established on or after July 20, 2017, shall not be located by the board within 30 linear miles of another licensed facility.

(2) Within five days of approving a license for an applicant with a proposed licensed facility consisting of land designated a subzone, an expansion subzone or an improvement subzone under the Keystone Opportunity Zone, Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone and Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone Act for a slot machine license under this section, the board shall notify the Department of Community and Economic Development. The notice shall include a description of the land of the proposed licensed facility which is designated a subzone, an expansion subzone or an improvement subzone. Within five days of receiving the notice required by this paragraph, the Secretary of Community and Economic Development shall decertify the land of the proposed license facility as being a subzone, an expansion subzone or an improvement subzone. Upon decertification in accordance with this paragraph and notwithstanding Chapter 3 of the Keystone Opportunity Zone, Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone and Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone Act, a political subdivision may amend the ordinance, resolution or other required action which granted the exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits required by the Keystone Opportunity Zone, Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone and Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone Act to repeal the exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits for the land decertified.

(c) Number of slot machines.--Notwithstanding the number of permissible slot machines as set forth in section 1210 (relating to number of slot machines), a Category 3 license granted under the provisions of this section shall entitle the licensed entity to operate no more than 500 slot machines at the licensed facility, provided, however, a Category 3 slot machine licensee holding a table game operation certificate shall be entitled to operate no more than 600 slot machines at its licensed facility.

(c.1) Additional slot machines.--

(1) Upon submission by a Category 3 slot machine licensee of a petition to the board, in such form and manner as the board may require, the board may authorize the Category 3 slot machine licensee to increase the number of slot machines at the Category 3 slot machine licensee's licensed facility.

(2) An increase in the number of slot machines by a Category 3 slot machine licensee under paragraph (1) may not exceed 250 additional slot machines, which shall be in addition to the number of permissible slot machines authorized under subsection (c).

(d) Category 3 license fee.--The board shall impose a one-time Category 3 license fee to be paid by each successful applicant in the amount of $5,000,000 to be deposited in the State Gaming Fund. The provisions of section 1209(b), (c), (d) and (e) shall apply to a Category 3 licensee.

(d.1) Fee for additional slot machines.--Notwithstanding subsection (d), no later than 60 days after the board approves a request for an increase in the number of slot machines submitted by a Category 3 slot machine licensee in accordance with subsection (c.1), the Category 3 slot machine licensee shall pay a one-time fee of $2,500,000 for deposit into the General Fund.

(e) Definitions.--For the purpose of subsection (a), the following words and phrases shall have the meaning given to them in this subsection:

"Amenities." Any ancillary activities, services or facilities in which a registered guest or the transient public, in return for non-de minimis consideration as defined by board regulation, may participate at a well-established resort hotel, including, but not limited to, sports and recreational activities and facilities such as a golf course or golf driving range, tennis courts or swimming pool; health spa; convention, meeting and banquet facilities; entertainment facilities; and restaurant facilities.

"Patron of the amenities." Any individual who is a registered attendee of a convention, meeting or banquet event or a participant in a sport or recreational event or any other social, cultural or business event held at a resort hotel or who participates in one or more of the amenities provided to registered guests of the well-established resort hotel.

(Nov. 1, 2006, P.L.1243, No.135, eff. imd.; Jan. 7, 2010, P.L.1, No.1, eff. imd.; Oct. 30, 2017, P.L.419, No.42, eff. imd.)

2017 Amendment. Act 42 added subsecs. (a)(1.2), (c.1) and (d.1).

2010 Amendment. See section 19.2 of Act 1 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to additional applications for Category 3 licenses.

Cross References. Section 1305 is referred to in sections 1103, 1208, 1209, 1210, 1305.1, 1313, 13F02 of this title.