DC-26-053.pdf

IN THE MISSOURI GAMING COMMISSION In Re: ) ) DC-26-053 The United States Playing Card Company ) PRELIMINARY ORDER FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION Comes now the Missouri Gaming Commission acting in its official capacity pursuant to 11 CSR 45-13.050, and states as follows: 1. The Missouri Gaming Commission (the "Commission" or "MGC") is a state commission created under Chapter 313, RSMo, 2000, with jurisdiction over gaming activities, including riverboat gambling activities, in the state of Missouri. 2. The United States Playing Card Company (the "Company") 1s a supplier of gaming equipment. 3. The Commission issued a Supplier license to the Company to provide playing cards to Class B licensees. 4. As the holder of a Supplier license, the Company is subject to the provisions of sections 313.800 to 313.850, RSMo, and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission. STATEMENT OF FACTS1 5. On January 3, 2026, Pit Manager Billy Joe Watson ("Watson") contacted the Company regarding the issue of miscut playing cards which resulted in Century Casino Cape Girardeau being unable to introduce these cards into play. 6. On January 21, 2026, Watson received an email from the Company with an attached "Credit Memo" for two cases of cards as part of their response to Century Casino Cape Girardeau's concerns about the quality of card shipments. The credit totaled four hundred forty-three dollars and sixty-two cents ($443 .62). 7. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Terry James ("Sgt. James") conducted an investigation of all Card and Dice Discrepancy Reports ("C and D Reports") from October 28, 2025, through January 31, 2026. In total, Sgt. James obtained seventy-two (72) C and D Reports for cards that did not meet requirements for play and were subsequently rejected. These reports documented entire decks that were miscut and other times it appeared that a pattern of certain cards/suits were the only items found to be outside required specifications. Sgt. James obtained several physical canceled decks and photos of decks as examples of the ongomg issue. 1 GR20251231001 8. The Company's failure to ensure accuracy in its manufacturing is in violation of 11 CSR 45- 5.183. LAW 9. Section 313.805, RSMo, states, in pertinent part, as follows: The commission shall have full jurisdiction over and shall supervise all gambling operations governed by sections 313.800 to 313.850. The commission shall have the following powers and shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement sections 313 .800 to 313 .850: * * * (5) To investigate alleged violations of sections 313.800 to 313.850 or the commission rules, orders, or final decisions; (6) To assess any appropriate administrative penalty against a licensee, including, but not limited to, suspension, revocation, and penalties of an amount as determined by the commission up to three times the highest daily amount of gross receipts derived from wagering on the gambling games, whether unauthorized or authorized, conducted during the previous twelve months as well as confiscation and forfeiture of all gambling game equipment used in the conduct of unauthorized gambling games. Forfeitures pursuant to this section shall be enforced as provided in sections 513 .600 to 513 .645; * * * (19) To take any other action as may be reasonable or appropriate to enforce sections 313.800 to 313.850 and the commission rules. 10. Section 313.812, RSMo, states, in pertinent part, as follows: 14. A holder of any license shall be subject to imposition of penalties, suspension or revocation of such license, or if the person is an applicant for licensure, the denial of the application, for any act or failure to act by such person or such person' s agents or employees, that is injurious to the public health, safety, morals, good order and general welfare of the people of the state of Missouri, or that would discredit or tend to discredit the Missouri gaming industry or the state of Missouri unless the licensee proves by clear and convincing evidence that it is not guilty of such action. The commission shall take appropriate action against any licensee who violates the law or the rules and regulations of the commission. Without limiting other provisions of this subsection, the following acts or omissions may be grounds for such discipline: (1) Failing to comply with or make provision for compliance with sections 313.800 to 313.850, the rules and regulations of the commission or any federal, state or local law or regulation; 2 (2) Failing to comply with any rule, order or ruling of the commission or its agents pertaining to gaming[.] 11. Title 11 CSR 45-5 .183 states, in pertinent part, as follows: (1) Unless otherwise approved by the commission, all cards used for gambling games must meet the following specifications: (A) Cards used to play table games and poker shall be in standard decks of fifty-two (52) cards each with each card identical in size and shape to every other card in such deck or as otherwise approved by the commission; * * * (D) The backs of each card in the deck shall be identical and no card shall contain any marking, symbol, or design that will enable a person to know the identity of any element printed on the face of the card or that will in any way differentiate the back of that card from any other card in the deck[.] VIOLATIONS 12. The actions or om1ss1ons of employees or agents of the Company as described above constitute the shipping of defective playing cards to a Class B licensee, which is a violation ofll CSR45-5.183. 13. The Company is therefore subject to discipline for such violations under sections 313.805(5), (6), and (19) and 313.812.14 (1) and (2), RSMo. PENALTY PROPOSED 14. Under section 313.805, RSMo, the Commission has the power to assess any appropriate administrative penalty against the Company, as the holder of a Supplier license. 15. THEREFORE, it is proposed that the Commission fine The United States Playing Card Company the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) for the violations set forth herein. Kevin Sp1Ullding Commissioner Missouri Gaming Commission 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE The undersigned hereby certifies that he caused a true and correct copy of the foregoing to be mailed, postage prepaid, this 21.!!.._ day of May, 2026, to: Stephanie Krummert, Casino Compliance and Senior Account Manager The United States Playing Card Company 300 Gap Way Erlanger, KY 41018 ff Kevin Spauldig Commissioner Missouri Gaming Commission 4