Section 50-27-71. License fees; issuance of license; display of license; control number; duplicate certificates; application for license or renewal; penalty for noncompliance

   (a) Every owner, except an owner holding a bona fide coin operated amusement machine solely for personal use or resale, who offers others the opportunity to play for a charge, whether directly or indirectly, any bona fide coin operated amusement machine shall pay annual master license fees to the corporation as follows:

   (1) For Class A machines:

      (A) For five or fewer machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $500.00. In the event such owner acquires a sixth or greater number of machines during a calendar year which require a certificate for lawful operation under this article so that the total number of machines owned does not exceed 60 machines or more, such owner shall pay an additional master license fee of $1,500.00;

      (B) For six or more machines but not more than 60 machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $2,000.00. In the event such owner acquires a sixty-first or greater number of machines during a calendar year which require a certificate for lawful operation under this article, such owner shall pay an additional master license fee of $1,500.00; or

      (C) For 61 or more machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $3,500.00; and

   (2) For any number of Class B machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $5,000.00.

The cost of the license shall be paid to the corporation by company check, cash, cashier's check, money order, or any other method approved by the chief executive officer. Upon such payment, the corporation shall issue a master license certificate to the owner. The master license fee levied by this Code section shall be collected by the corporation on an annual basis for the period from July 1 to June 30. The board may establish procedures for master license collection and set due dates for these license payments. No refund or credit of the master license charge levied by this Code section may be allowed to any owner who ceases the operation of bona fide coin operated amusement machines prior to the end of any license or permit period.

(a.1) Every location owner or location operator shall pay an annual location license fee for each bona fide coin operated amusement machine offered to the public for play. The annual location license fee shall be $25.00 for each Class A machine and $125.00 for each Class B machine. The annual location license fee levied by this Code section shall be collected by the corporation on an annual basis from July 1 to June 30. The location license fee shall be paid to the corporation by company check, cash, cashier's check, money order, or any other method approved by the chief executive officer. Upon payment, the corporation shall issue a location license certificate that shall state the number of bona fide coin operated amusement machines permitted for each class without further description or identification of specific machines. The board may establish procedures for location license fee collection and set due dates for payment of such fees. No refund or credit of the location license fee shall be allowed to any location owner or location operator who ceases to offer bona fide coin operated amusement machines to the public for commercial use prior the end of any license period.

(a.2) The corporation may refuse to issue or renew a location owner or location operator license or may revoke or suspend a location owner or location operator license issued under this article if:

   (1) The licensee or applicant has intentionally violated a provision of this chapter or a regulation promulgated under this chapter;

   (2) The licensee or applicant has intentionally failed to provide requested information or answer a question, intentionally made a false statement in or in connection with his or her application or renewal, or omitted any material or requested information;

   (3) The licensee or applicant used coercion to accomplish a purpose or to engage in conduct regulated by the corporation;

   (4) Failure to revoke or suspend the license would be contrary to the intent and purpose of this article;

   (5) The licensee or applicant has engaged in unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices as provided in Code Section 50-27-87.1; or

   (6) Any applicant, or any person, firm, corporation, legal entity, or organization having any interest in any operation for which an application has been submitted, fails to meet any obligations imposed by the tax laws or other laws or regulations of this state.

(b) A copy of an owner's master license and the location owner's or location operator's location license shall be prominently displayed at all locations where the owner and location owner or location operator have bona fide coin operated amusement machines available for commercial use and for play by the public to evidence the payment of the fees levied under this Code section.

(c) Each master license and each location license shall list the name and address of the owner or location owner or location operator, as applicable.

(d) The corporation may provide a duplicate original master license certificate or location license certificate if the original certificate has been lost, stolen, or destroyed. The fee for a duplicate original certificate is $100.00. If the original certificate is lost, stolen, or destroyed, a sworn, written statement must be submitted explaining the circumstances by which the certificate was lost, stolen, or destroyed and including the number of the lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate, if applicable, before a duplicate original certificate can be issued. A certificate for which a duplicate certificate has been issued is void.

(e) A license or permit issued under this Code section:

   (1) Is effective for a single business entity;

   (2) Vests no property or right in the holder of the license or permit except to conduct the licensed or permitted business during the period the license or permit is in effect;

   (3) Is nontransferable, nonassignable by and between owners or location owners and location operators, and not subject to execution; and

   (4) Expires upon the death of an individual holder of a license or permit or upon the dissolution of any other holder of a license or permit.

(f) An application for the renewal of a license or permit must be made to the corporation by June 1 of each year.

(g) Acceptance of a license or permit issued under this Code section constitutes consent by the licensee and the location owner or location operator of the business where bona fide coin operated amusement machines are available for commercial use and for play by the public that the corporation's agents may freely enter the business premises where the licensed and permitted machines are located during normal business hours for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this article.

(h) An application for a license or permit to do business under this article shall contain a complete statement regarding the ownership of the business to be licensed or the business where the permitted machines are to be located. This statement of ownership shall specify the same information that is required by the application to secure a sales tax number for the State of Georgia.

(i) An application for a master license shall be accompanied by either the annual or semiannual fee plus the required permit fee due for each machine. Additional per machine permits can be purchased during the year if needed by the owner. An application for a location license shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee.

(j) An application is subject to public inspection.

(k) A renewal application filed on or after July 1, but before the license expires, shall be accompanied by a late fee of $125.00. A master license or location license that has been expired for more than 90 days may not be renewed. In such a case, the owner shall obtain a new master license or the location owner or location operator shall obtain a new location license, as applicable, by complying with the requirements and procedures for obtaining an original master license or location license.

(l) A holder of a license who properly completes the application and remits all fees with it by the due date may continue to operate bona fide coin operated amusement machines after the expiration date if its license or permit renewal has not been issued, unless the holder of the license is notified by the corporation prior to the expiration date of a problem with the renewal.

(m) Holders of location licenses and temporary location permits shall be subject to the same provisions of this article with regard to refunds, license renewals, license suspensions, and license revocations as are holders of master licenses.

(n) Failure to obtain a master license or location license as required by this Code section shall subject the person to a fine of up to $25,000.00 and repayment of all fees or receipts due to the corporation pursuant to this article and may subject the person to a loss of all state licenses.

Code 1981, § 48-17-2, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 1521, § 3; Ga. L. 1994, p. 834, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 10, § 48; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-89/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2010, p. 470, § 2/SB 454; Code 1981, § 50-27-71, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2013, p. 37, § 1-1/HB 487.