GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1989 SESSION

CHAPTER 406
SENATE BILL 874

AN ACT TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES TO THE GENERAL STATUTES REGULATING SLOT MACHINES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 14-306 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-306. Slot machine or device defined.
Any machine, apparatus or device is a slot machine or device within the provisions of G.S. 14-296 through 14-309, if it is one that is adapted, or may be readily converted into one that is adapted, for use in such a way that, as a result of the insertion of any piece of money or coin or other object, such machine or device is caused to operate or may be operated in such manner that the user may receive or become entitled to receive any piece of money, credit, allowance or thing of value, or any check, slug, token or memorandum, whether of value or otherwise, or which may be exchanged for any money, credit, allowance or any thing of value, or which may be given in trade, or the user may secure additional chances or rights to use such machine, apparatus or device; or any other machine or device designed and manufactured primarily for use in connection with gambling and which machine or device is classified by the United States as requiring a federal gaming device tax stamp under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. This definition is intended to embrace all slot machines and similar devices except slot machines in which is kept any article to be purchased by depositing any coin or thing of value, and for which may be had any article of merchandise which makes the same return or returns of equal value each and every time it is operated, or any machine wherein may be seen any pictures or heard any music by depositing therein any coin or thing of value, or any slot weighing machine or any machine for making stencils by the use of contrivances operated by depositing in the machine any coin or thing of value, or any lock operated by slot wherein money or thing of value is to be deposited, where such slot machines make the same return or returns of equal value each and every time the same is operated and does not at any time it is operated offer the user or operator any additional money, credit, allowance, or thing of value, or check, slug, token or memorandum, whether of value or otherwise, which may be exchanged for money, credit, allowance or thing of value or which may be given in trade or by which the user may secure additional chances or rights to use such machine, apparatus, or device, or in the playing of which the operator does not have a chance to make varying scores or tallies.
The definition contained in the first paragraph of this section and G.S. 14-296, 14-301, 14-302, and 14-305 does not include coin-operated machines, video games, and devices designed and manufactured for amusement only, the operation of which depends upon the skill or dexterity of the player. Included within this exception are pinball machines, video games, and other mechanical amusement devices that enable the player, based on his skill or dexterity, to make varying scores or tallies and to receive free replays or paper coupons that may be exchanged for prizes with a value not exceeding ten dollars ($10.00), but may not be exchanged or converted to money."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 14-296 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-296. Illegal slot machines and punchboards defined.
An illegal slot machine or punchboard within the contemplation of G.S. 14-295 through 14-298 is defined as a device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 14-301 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-301. Operation or possession of slot machine; separate offenses.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to operate, keep in his possession or in the possession of any other person, firm or corporation, for the purpose of being operated, any slot machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306.  Each time said machine is operated as aforesaid shall constitute a separate offense."
Sec. 4.  G.S. 14-302 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-302. Punchboards, vending machines, and other gambling devices; separate offenses.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to operate or keep in his possession, or the possession of any other person, firm or corporation, for the purpose of being operated, any punchboard, slot machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306. Each time said punchboard, slot machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306 is operated, played, or patronized by the paying of money or other thing of value therefor, shall constitute a separate violation of this section as to operation thereunder."
Sec. 5.  G.S. 14-304 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-304. Manufacture, sale, etc., of slot machines and devices.
It shall be unlawful to manufacture, own, store, keep, possess, sell, rent, lease, let on shares, lend or give away, transport, or expose for sale or lease, or to offer to sell, rent, lease, let on shares, lend or give away, or to permit the operation of, or for any person to permit to be placed, maintained, used or kept in any room, space or building owned, leased or occupied by him or under his management or control, any slot machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306."
Sec. 6.  G.S. 14-305 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-305. Agreements with reference to slot machines or devices made unlawful.
It shall be unlawful to make or permit to be made with any person any agreement with reference to any slot machines or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value, as defined in G.S. 14-306 pursuant to which the user thereof may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or anything of value or additional chance or right to use such machines or devices, or to receive any check, slug, token or memorandum entitling the holder to receive any money, credit, allowance or thing of value."
Sec. 7.  This act shall become effective October 1, 1989.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 22nd day of June, 1989.