(a) The following acts or practices are deemed unfair methods of competition and unfair and deceptive acts under this article:(1) Until the corporation certifies that the Class B accounting terminal authorized by Code Section 50-27-101 is implemented, a master licensee, location owner, or location operator retaining more than 50 percent of the net monthly proceeds for the operation of a Class B machine;(2) A master licensee or owner entering into an agreement with a manufacturer or distributor: (A) That grants the owner or master licensee exclusive rights to own, maintain, place, or lease a type, model, or brand of bona fide coin operated amusement machine in this state; or(B) For the lease of a bona fide coin operated amusement machine, its parts, or software or hardware;(3) A location owner or location operator asking, demanding, or accepting anything of value, including but not limited to a loan or financing arrangement, gift, procurement fee, lease payments, revenue sharing, or payment of license fees or permit fees from a manufacturer, distributor, or master licensee, as an incentive, inducement, or any other consideration to locate bona fide coin operated amusement machines yment of license fees or permit fees from a manufacturer, distributor, or master licensee, as an incentive, inducement, or any other consideration to locate bona fide coin operated amusement machines in that establishment. A location owner that violates this subsection shall have all of the location owner's state business licenses revoked for a period of one to five years per incident. The location owner also shall be fined up to $50,000.00 per incident and required to repay any incentive fees or other payments received from the operator; and(4) A manufacturer, distributor, operator, master licensee, or individual providing anything of value, including but not limited to a loan or financing arrangement, gift, procurement fee, lease payments, revenue sharing, or payment of license fees or permit fees to a location owner or location operator, as an incentive, inducement, or any other consideration to locate bona fide coin operated amusement machines in that establishment. A manufacturer, distributor, operator, master licensee, or individual who violates this subsection shall have all of his or her state business licenses revoked for a period of one to five years per incident. cturer, distributor, operator, master licensee, or individual who violates this subsection shall have all of his or her state business licenses revoked for a period of one to five years per incident. The individual, manufacturer, distributor, owner, or master licensee also shall be fined up to $50,000.00 per incident.(b) The provision by the master licensee of non-fixtures on or within a building in which there is a licensed location at which bona fide coin operated amusement machines are located to a location owner or location operator with whom the master licensee has a contract for the placement of Class B machines shall not be deemed to be an unfair method of competition or unfair or deceptive act under this Code section; provided, however, that such non-fixtures shall:(1) Be limited to branded posters and signs, digital video signage, rugs, seating, removable partition walls, and wall coverings, unless additional non-fixtures are authorized by the corporation by the adoption of rules and regulations;(2) Be exclusively for the facilitation and promotion of the play of Class B machines and the redemption of approved gift cards;(3) Remain the property of the master licensee; f rules and regulations;(2) Be exclusively for the facilitation and promotion of the play of Class B machines and the redemption of approved gift cards;(3) Remain the property of the master licensee; and(4) Be removed not later than when the Class B machines of the master licensee are removed from the location.Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 586,§ 10, eff. 5/6/2024.Amended by 2017 Ga. Laws 275,§ 50, eff. 5/9/2017.Amended by 2015 Ga. Laws 18,§ 8, eff. 4/8/2015.Added by 2013 Ga. Laws 15,§ 1-1, eff. 4/10/2013.
Georgia Legal Code