Sec. 12-576. Presence of minors at gaming establishments; penalties. Licensing of minors. Payment of claims for winnings.
Sec. 12-576. Presence of minors at gaming establishments; penalties. Licensing of minors. Payment of claims for winnings. (a) Any person who knowingly permits
any minor to wager in any gambling activity authorized under this chapter and any minor
who places a wager in any gambling activity authorized under this chapter shall be guilty
of a class A misdemeanor.
(b) Any person who knowingly permits a minor to be present in any room, office,
building or establishment when off-track betting authorized under this chapter takes
place, or at any racetrack or fronton when any meeting authorized under this chapter
takes place, shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars. No minor shall be present
in any room, office, building or establishment when off-track betting authorized under
this chapter takes place, or at any racetrack or fronton when any meeting authorized
under this chapter takes place. Any minor sixteen years of age or over present in any
room, office, building or establishment when off-track betting authorized under this
chapter takes place, or at any racetrack or fronton when any meeting authorized under
this chapter takes place, shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars. Any licensee
authorized to conduct a meeting for the purpose of jai alai or racing shall be fined not
more than fifty dollars if any minor is found at such facility in violation of this subsection.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (a) or (b), the executive director
may issue a license to a minor sixteen years of age or older, under the provisions of
section 12-578 and the regulations adopted thereunder, provided written permission
from a parent or legal guardian of such minor is filed with the division.
(d) The executive director shall not pay any claim for winnings when such claim
is made by, or on behalf of, a minor who has wagered in any gambling activity authorized
under this chapter. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit an adult from making a
wager on behalf of a minor provided the money for such wager is not provided by the
minor from funds under such minor's control.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any minor from entering
onto a parking area at any building or establishment described in subsection (b) of this
section for the purpose of attending an event at which gambling activities do not occur.
(1971, P.A. 865, S. 28; 1972, P.A. 187, S. 13; P.A. 73-247, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-210, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-387, S. 1, 2; P.A. 79-404, S. 29, 45; 79-587; P.A. 96-180, S. 137, 166; 96-184.)
History: 1972 act placed provision re admission of minors to facility in new Subsec. (b); P.A. 73-247 substituted "minor"
for "person under the age of eighteen", allowed admission of minors if accompanied by an adult and added Subsec. (c) re
licensing minors as jockeys, stable employees, jai alai players, etc.; P.A. 76-210 added Subsec. (d) re claims for winnings
made by or on behalf of minors; P.A. 77-387 allowed admission of minor if accompanied by parent or guardian, replacing
provision allowing admission if accompanied by any adult; P.A. 79-404 substituted "executive director" and "division"
for "commission on special revenue" and "commission" as necessary; P.A. 79-587 forbade admission of minors altogether
and set varying fines for minors and licensees; P.A. 96-180 amended Subsec. (a) to delete a comma after "person", effective
June 3, 1996; P.A. 96-184 added Subsec. (e) re minors attending events where gambling does not occur.
See Sec. 53-343a re presence of persons under twenty-one years of age in class III gaming facilities.