Sec. 53-343a. Presence of persons under twenty-one years of age in class III gaming facilities prohibited. Wagering and misrepresentation of age by such persons prohibited. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 53-343a. Presence of persons under twenty-one years of age in class III gaming facilities prohibited. Wagering and misrepresentation of age by such persons prohibited. (a) For the purposes of this section:

      (1) "Gaming facility" means any room in which class III gaming, as legally authorized pursuant to a tribal-state compact governing the conduct of gaming activities on Indian lands or federal procedures issued by the Secretary of the Interior, is conducted, but does not include a room limited to the playing of bazaar games;

      (2) "Class III gaming" has the same meaning as provided in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 USC 2703; and

      (3) "Alcoholic liquor" has the same meaning as provided in section 30-1.

      (b) No person under the minimum age for the purchase of alcoholic liquor under the provisions of chapter 545 shall be present in any gaming facility, except that, unless otherwise prohibited by law, a person over the age of majority may be employed in a gaming facility if such person has obtained any license required by the state for such employment and such employment does not include handling or serving alcoholic liquor. Any person under such minimum age for the purchase of alcoholic liquor who violates the provisions of this subsection shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.

      (c) Any person under the minimum age for the purchase of alcoholic liquor under the provisions of chapter 545 who is present in any gaming facility and directly or indirectly places a wager in such gaming facility shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

      (d) Any person under the minimum age for the purchase of alcoholic liquor under the provisions of chapter 545 who, for the purpose of gaining access to a gaming facility, (1) misrepresents such person's age, or (2) uses or exhibits (A) a forged, counterfeit or altered government-issued identity card, passport or motor vehicle operator's license, or (B) a government-issued identity card, passport or motor vehicle operator's license belonging to any other person, shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

      (e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit minors from receiving lottery tickets or chances in lawfully operated games of chance as gifts.

      (P.A. 03-114, S. 2; P.A. 04-257, S. 85.)

      History: P.A. 04-257 made a technical change in Subsec. (d), effective June 14, 2004.

      See Sec. 12-576 re presence of minors at facilities where gambling activity authorized by state law takes place.