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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1609*
HOUSE BILL 1609
C7 6lr3694
HB 510/25 – W&M
By: Frederick County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 17, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Frederick County – Gaming – Acceptance of Credit as Payment 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing certain fire, rescue, and ambulance organizations 3
conducting certain gaming events in Frederick County to accept credit from a person 4
as payment to play a gaming device at the gaming event; and generally relating to 5
accepting credit as payment to play a gaming device. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 12–108 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Criminal Law 13
Section 13–1304(b)(2) and (3) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Criminal Law 19
12–108. 20
(a) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN ORGANIZA TION DESCRIBED 21
UNDER § 13–1304(B)(2) OR (3) OF THIS ARTICLE CONDUCTING A GAMING EVENT FOR 22
ITS OWN BENEFIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 13–1304 OF THIS ARTICLE. 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1609
(B) An organization that operates a gaming event authorized under this subtitle, 1
Subtitle 2 of this title, or Title 13 of this article may not accept credit from a person to allow 2
that person to play a gaming device at the gaming event. 3
[(b)] (C) Subsection [(a)] (B) of this section does not prohibit an organization 4
from accepting a token instead of money from a person who has paid the organization 5
money for the use of the token. 6
[(c)] (D) An organization that violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor 7
and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or loss of privileges to conduct a 8
gaming event not exceeding 60 days or both. 9
13–1304. 10
(b) An organization may conduct a gaming event for its own benefit if the 11
organization is: 12
(2) a Frederick County volunteer: 13
(i) fire company; 14
(ii) rescue company; or 15
(iii) ambulance company; or 16
(3) an auxiliary for a Frederick County volunteer: 17
(i) fire company; 18
(ii) rescue company; or 19
(iii) ambulance company. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2026. 22