Sec. 36.05.02.09. Plaques

A. A plaque issued by a facility operator shall be a solid, one-piece object constructed entirely of plastic or other substance, and a plaque shall:

(1) Be square, rectangular, or elliptical in shape;

(2) Have at least two, but not more than six, smooth, plane surfaces;

(3) Have at least two faces opposite and parallel to each other and identical in shape;

B. A facility operator shall not issue a plaque or allow its use in a facility unless:

(1) The facility operator submitted design specifications of the proposed plaque to the Commission that included a detailed schematic depicting the actual size and location of:

(a) Each face;

(b) The edge; and

(c) Any colors, words, designs, graphics, or security measures on the plaque including the minimum identifying characteristics listed in §F of this regulation;

(2) In accordance with COMAR 36.05.03.16, the facility operator made available for the Commission’s inspection a sample plaque of each denomination to be manufactured and used in accordance with its approved design specifications;

(3) The Commission approved the facility operator’s submissions; and

(4) The facility operator submitted to the Commission a system of internal procedures and administrative and accounting controls governing the distribution, redemption, receipt and inventory of plaques, by serial number that the Commission approved as part of the facility operator’s internal controls.

C. Dimensions of a Plaque.

(1) The face of a square plaque shall have a surface area of not less than 9 square inches.

(2) The face of a rectangular or elliptical plaque may not be less than 3 inches in length by 2 inches in width.

(3) The length and width of an elliptical plaque shall be measured by its axes.

D. A plaque issued by a facility operator shall be designed and manufactured with sufficient graphics or other security measures to prevent, to the extent possible, the counterfeiting of the plaque.

E. Denominations.

(1) A facility operator may issue and use plaques in denominations of $5,000 or $10,000, and in other denominations approved by the Commission in advance under COMAR 36.05.03.16.

(2) A plaque of a specific denomination used by a facility operator shall be in a shape and of a size that is identical to the shape and size of all other plaques of that denomination issued by the facility operator.

(3) The size and shape of each denomination of plaque issued by a facility operator must be readily distinguishable from the size and shape of every other denomination of plaque issued by the facility operator.

F. A plaque issued by a facility operator must contain identifying characteristics that appear at least once on each face of the plaque and are applied in a manner that ensures each identifying characteristic is clearly visible and remains a permanent part of the plaque.

G. The characteristics required under §F of this regulation must be visible to surveillance employees using the licensed facility’s surveillance system, and shall include at least:

(1) The denomination of the plaque, expressed in numbers of at least 3/8 inch in height;

(2) The name, logo, or other approved identification of the facility operator issuing the plaque; and

(3) A unique serial number.

H. A facility operator may not issue, use, or allow a player to use in its facility, any plaque that it knows, or reasonably should know, is materially different from the sample of that plaque approved in accordance with §B of this regulation.