Sec. 36.03.10.11. Surveillance System Design Standards

A. A facility operator shall install in its facility a surveillance system that complies with the requirements of this regulation.

B. A facility operator’s surveillance system shall be reviewed and approved by the Commission under Regulation .12 of this chapter.

C. A facility operator’s surveillance system shall include:

(1) Light sensitive cameras enabled by:

(a) Lenses of sufficient magnification to read a video lottery terminal reel strip and credit meter;

(b) Lighting which is continuous and of sufficient quality to produce clear video recordings and still pictures; and

(c) 360-degree pan, tilt, and zoom capability, without camera stops, configured to clandestinely monitor and record:

(i) Play and transactions conducted at video lottery terminals;

(ii) Transactions conducted in the cashiers' cage and any satellite cage including the face of each individual transacting business with a cashier;

(iii) Transactions conducted at ticket redemption units, automated jackpot payout machines, and automated teller machines;

(iv) Activity in the count room;

(v) Movement of cash and cash storage boxes within the facility;

(vi) Entrances and exits to the facility and the gaming floor;

(vii) Activities in all other restricted areas; and

(viii) Other areas and events designated by the Commission;

(2) A monitor room located in the facility:

(a) Staffed by employees of the facility operator’s surveillance department 24 hours per day; and

(b) Equipped with:

(i) A communication system capable of monitoring all security department communications;

(ii) Connections, direct or through a documented communication protocol with the security department, to all facility alarm systems;

(iii) A surveillance failure notification system that provides an audible, as well as a visual notification, of any failure in the surveillance system or the digital video recording media storage system;

(iv) An emergency power system, tested by the facility operator in the presence of the Commission at least once a year, which can be used to operate the surveillance system in the event of a power failure;

(v) Computer terminals permitting event notification to, and read only access by authorized surveillance department employees to, the facility operator’s video lottery system;

(vi) An updated photo library, consisting of photographs that are no more than 5 years old, of all current employees of the facility;

(vii) A copy of the facility operator’s gaming floor plan required under COMAR 36.03.11.05;

(viii) A copy of the procedures addressing the evacuation of the facility in the event of fire or other emergency required under Regulation .14 of this chapter; and

(ix) Copies of the surveillance system contingency plans required under Regulation .12 of this chapter;

(3) Digital video recording capability equipped to:

(a) Superimpose the date and time on all monitoring and recording;

(b) Identify and locate, through the use of a meter, counter, or other device or method, a particular event which was recorded;

(c) Identify on video recording disks or other storage media the type of media player and software prerequisite to viewing the digital images; and

(d) Be authenticated through use of an embedded video verification encryption code or watermark;

(4) Audio recording capability in the count room that is:

(a) Installed and disclosed to employees of the facility; and

(b) Consistent with Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, §§10-401-10-414, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(5) An access system which:

(a) Controls:

(i) Physical and logical access to the surveillance system; and

(ii) Physical access to the surveillance monitor room; and

(b) Restricts access to the security administration capabilities of the system.

D. A facility operator shall configure its surveillance system to record all areas and transactions enumerated in §C(1)(c) of this regulation with a resolution of 4 common image format at a minimum of:

(1) For a standard definition camera, 30 frames per second; or

(2) For a high definition camera, 15 frames per second.

E. A facility operator may configure its surveillance system to record activity in areas of the facility not covered by §D of this regulation at a reduced frame rate with a resolution of 4 common image format, as follows:

(1) Public areas shall be recorded at a minimum frame rate of 15 frames per second; and

(2) Areas not accessible to the public shall be recorded at a minimum frame rate of 7.5 frames per second.

F. Except as provided in §G of this regulation, a facility operator shall retain surveillance recordings:

(1) For a minimum of 7 days for transactions or events in the areas covered under §E of this regulation; and

(2) For a minimum of 14 days for transactions or event in the areas covered under §D of this regulation.

G. Upon the request of the Commission or a law enforcement agency that has proper jurisdiction over the facility, a recording shall be retained and stored in accordance with the directives of the Commission or law enforcement agency pertaining to that recording.

H. Except as provided in this regulation, the surveillance system shall be under the exclusive control of the facility operator’s surveillance department.

I. A facility operator shall provide the Commission with timely and unfettered access to its surveillance monitor room, surveillance system, and all transmissions.

J. A facility operator shall timely comply with a request from the Commission to:

(1) Use, as necessary, any monitor room in the facility;

(2) Display on the monitors in its monitor room or in the Commission’s on-site monitor room any event capable of being captured by the surveillance system;

(3) Relinquish control of a camera or monitor;

(4) Discontinue monitoring a particular camera or recording activity captured by it;

(5) Make a video recording or photograph of any event capable of being captured by the surveillance system; and

(6) Restrict or deny access to a recording or photograph.

K. A surveillance system may not be remotely accessed from a location outside the surveillance monitor room without the prior written approval of the Commission.

L. An entrance to a surveillance monitor room may not be visible from the gaming floor.