Section 43-8-2. Local governing authority to license and regulate billiard rooms

   (a) Subject to the authorizations and limitations of this Code section, the governing authority of each local government in this state shall have the power by ordinance or resolution to license, regulate, and tax billiard rooms within its respective area of operation.

(b) If ordinances or resolutions of local governments regulating billiard rooms are adopted, such ordinances or resolutions shall be subject to the following conditions:

   (1) A license fee shall be consistent with the cost of regulation of billiard rooms and business taxes assessed upon billiard rooms shall be established on the same basis as such taxes are imposed for similar types of businesses, provided that a license fee may be imposed on a billiard room which is operated as part of another business or activity licensed by a local government;

   (2) An ordinance or resolution which prohibits the operation of billiard rooms during specified hours shall not apply to a business which includes a billiard room if the billiard room is not operated during the prohibited hours; provided, however, no ordinance or resolution controlling the hours of operation of billiard rooms shall prohibit their operation from 6:00 A.M. until 12:00 Midnight;

   (3) Any ordinance or resolution which prohibits alcoholic beverages from being sold, served, or allowed to be used in or on the premises of billiard rooms or any place operated in connection therewith shall not apply if such premises or establishment is an establishment which is authorized to sell alcoholic beverages and derives at least 50 percent of its total annual gross revenues from the sale of products or services other than alcoholic beverages; provided, however, that if alcoholic beverages are sold by the drink for consumption on the premises of a billiard room, the governing authority of a local government may prohibit the sale, serving, or use of alcoholic beverages therein unless the establishment derives at least 75 percent of its revenue from the sale of products or services other than alcoholic beverages; and

   (4) No local government may prohibit billiard rooms or the playing of billiards in any business which neither sells alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises nor engages in package sales of such beverages nor allows alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the premises.

(c) Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, municipal corporations and counties may impose reasonable regulations, suspension and revocation of licenses under the same standards that are applicable to other businesses licensed by the municipality or county.

Code 1981, § 43-8-2, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1916, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 43.