Minnesota Legislature
Office of the Revisor of Statutes
Minnesota Administrative Rules
7864.0235 ELECTRONIC PULL-TAB GAME SYSTEM STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS.
Subpart 1.
Manufacturing standards for design and manufacture of electronic pull-tab tickets, electronic pull-tab devices, and electronic pull-tab game systems.
In addition to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 349.12, subdivisions 12b, 12c, and 12d; 349.1721, subdivision 4; and 349.211, subdivision 2a, electronic pull-tab tickets, devices, and game systems must meet the requirements contained in this part.
Subp. 3.
Electronic pull-tab flare required features.
The following features are required on an electronic pull-tab flare:
A.
The base game flare must contain the:
(2)
game name and serial number, which must be identical to the same information that appears on the tickets in the deal;
Subp. 4.
Electronic pull-tab ticket required features.
The following features are required on an electronic pull-tab ticket:
C.
game serial number, which must be a minimum of five and a maximum of eight characters, and must not be repeated on gambling equipment of the same form number for 3-1/2 years from the date of the manufacturer's invoice to the distributor. There must not be more than one serial number in a deal;
F.
quantity of winners in each tier, and the respective winning numbers or symbols and prize amount;
J.
a defined area on the face of the ticket for the windows or seals covering the numbers or symbols; and
K.
winning numbers or symbols in a straight, consecutive pattern under the windows or seals.
For winning tickets, the symbol combination for each denomination must be identical in the base game for all deals within that form number.
A winning ticket which includes a bonus prize must not exceed statutory prize limits under Minnesota Statutes, section 349.211.
Subp. 6.
Application software.
All application software must be owned by the manufacturer. Software developed by the manufacturer must also meet the requirements of this subpart.
A.
For purposes of this subpart, application software is developed by the manufacturer if the manufacturer designs the central system, database, user interface, the program architecture, and programs the source code.
B.
A licensed manufacturer may jointly develop application software for an electronic linked bingo system or an electronic pull-tab system with a licensed linked bingo game provider if the jointly developed application software permits the operation of electronic linked bingo or electronic pull-tab games on the same electronic linked bingo or electronic pull-tab device.
C.
Any application software to be used by the manufacturer must be wholly owned free and clear and without any further obligation or condition by any entity other than the licensed manufacturer.
D.
The electronic pull-tab game system manufacturer must provide documentation establishing ownership of the intellectual property rights to the entire game application software and system.
Subp. 7.
Changes in software or hardware.
If there is any change in software or hardware by a manufacturer, the manufacturer must assign a new version or code build number and must submit the new software version or code build number to the board for approval. The new version or code build number must be approved by a certified independent testing laboratory.
Subp. 8.
Electronic monitoring by board.
Electronic monitoring of the operation of the electronic pull-tab system by the board will be limited to read-only access of transaction logs and status of the system. The board is not allowed to alter any data or game play.
Subp. 9.
Secured data transmission.
An electronic pull-tab game system must provide secured data transmission to all participating locations.
Subp. 10.
Changes in version of system or game.
A.
If there is a change in the version or code build number of a system or game, the manufacturer must assign a new version or code build number for any changes or upgrades to the electronic pull-tab system or game to indicate a change of the version or code build number of the system or game according to standard practices.
B.
Any changes to the electronic pull-tab game or system must be approved by the director before the game or system is placed into operation.
C.
Any changes in a version or code build number that have an effect on the outcome of a previously approved game must be retested by a certified independent testing laboratory.
Subp. 11.
Secure communication.
Connections between all components of the electronic game system must only be through the use of secure communication protocols which are designed to prevent unauthorized access or tampering, employing Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) specifications as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Subp. 12.
Independent verification check.
The electronic pull-tab game system and all devices that communicate with the electronic pull-tab game system must have the ability to allow for an independent verification check of the system's software from an authorized source approved by the board. The independent verification check ability is required for all application software that the board determines may affect the integrity of the game. The verification check must provide a means for on-site and off-site field verification of the software and applicable device to identify and validate the program. All Minnesota board-approved games must be identical to the games presented to a certified independent testing laboratory.
Subp. 13.
Electronic accounting data.
Electronic accounting data must be at least ten digits in length and must be maintained in credit units equal to dollars and cents.
Subp. 14.
Cash and inventory verification.
The system must record value of cash in, tickets played, credits won, credits played, cash out, and unredeemed credits.
Subp. 15.
Restricted use.
A.
Local and central servers and electronic pull-tab devices must not be capable of being used as stand-alone units for the purposes of engaging in any function or use not permitted by these standards at any time.
Subp. 16.
Memory backup.
Local and central servers must have nonvolatile backup memory or its equivalent, which must be maintained in a secure compartment on each local and central server for the purpose of storing and preserving a redundant set of critical data which include:
A.
error corrections that may have occurred on electronic pull-tab devices or local and central servers, such as an invalid PIN or a game interrupt;
C.
recall of all wagers and other play information associated with the last 100 plays on each device, including the electronic pull-tab ticket and the serial number of the game;
D.
electronic accounting data capturing the record of transactions for electronic pull-tab devices in use for each local and central server including:
E.
comprehensive checks of critical memory for each device in operation following game initiation but prior to display of game outcome to the player; an unrecoverable corruption of critical memory must result in an error notification and cause all electronic pull-tab devices in play to cease further function. An unrecoverable critical memory error report must be immediately generated to the Gambling Control Board and must include the name of the authorized person who performs any recapture or memory clear of the local or central server;
F.
the system must have the ability to immediately, accurately, and securely cash out all players who have funds in the system in the event of power or communications network loss or other time of game or play interruption; and
Subp. 17.
Randomization.
An electronic pull-tab game system must use randomizing procedures in the distribution of electronic pull-tabs. The randomizing process for each pull-tab game must take place prior to the use of the game at the sales location. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning, "pull-tab position" means the first pull-tab dealt, second pull-tab dealt, in sequential order. Any random number generation, shuffling, or randomization of outcomes used in connection with an electronic pull-tab system must be by use of a random number generation application that has successfully passed standard tests for randomness and unpredictability as defined in part 7861.0210, subpart 44.
Subp. 18.
Game information.
Prior to the commencement of an electronic pull-tab game, the following data must be maintained and be viewable electronically on the electronic pull-tab game system device:
D.
the overall payout percentage for the game and the number of electronic tickets at each award amount;
F.
flare information listing quantity and denominations of winning tickets for the base game and bonus games, and a total for the game; and
Subp. 19.
Electronic pull-tab generation.
Upon request from a pull-tab device, the electronic pull-tab system must display an electronic facsimile of a pull-tab ticket. Once dispensed, such ticket must not be reused.
Subp. 20.
System testing at sites.
The communications network system must be available for and have the capability of being tested by the board on site.
Subp. 21.
Data access by board.
The system must include on-demand remote access at all times by the board to all electronic reporting data without participation of the manufacturer or the distributor.
Subp. 22.
Game status and auditing.
A.
Only upon the game termination shall the finite details of that game be revealed to the persons performing the game audit or status check.
B.
If an audit or other game determination is conducted while a game is in play, termination of the entire game must immediately occur. An audit or game determination includes a determination of the individual prizes won or individual prizes remaining to be won.
C.
Daily reports will be made available to the licensed organization's authorized personnel which contain data relating to gross ticket sales and gross prizes paid on a per-game basis.
D.
An electronic pull-tab game system must allow for the early termination of games as determined by the licensed organization's authorized personnel.
Subp. 23.
Game definition.
All game definition files must contain the following information:
I.
prize values with an associated index and frequency associated with how many of that particular prize exist.
Subp. 24.
System security and access.
A.
The electronic pull-tab game system must be located in Minnesota and in a secure location with limited, authorized access.
B.
Any system elements that hold game data, other than the electronic pull-tab devices, must be in a locked area or in a locked case or compartment with access limited to designated personnel.
D.
The system must be in a secure location and provide electronic security for the games against alteration, tampering, or unauthorized access.
E.
The system must allow the board and other authorized state representatives real-time access to data and equipment, including all accounting for sales, prizes, and credits per device, per site.
Subp. 25.
Data alteration.
The electronic pull-tab game system must not permit the alteration of any accounting or significant event log information that was communicated from the electronic pull-tab device without board-approved access controls. In the event financial data is changed, the electronic pull-tab system must be able to produce an automated audit log documenting the:
Subp. 26.
Backup and recovery.
A.
An electronic pull-tab system must have a separate physical medium for securely storing games on the computer, which must be backed up in real time by a backup medium.
B.
A disaster recovery plan detailing the system backup features including physical location for medium storage and procedures for periodic testing and recovery must be provided to the board as a condition of equipment approval.
C.
All data required to be available or reported by this provision must be retained for a period of not less than 3-1/2 years.
D.
All storage of critical data must use error checking and be stored on a nonvolatile physical medium.
E.
The database must be stored on redundant media so that no single failure of any portion of the system would result in the loss or corruption of data.
F.
In the event of a catastrophic failure when the electronic pull-tab game system cannot be restarted in any other way, it must be possible to reload the electronic pull-tab game system from the last viable backup point and fully recover the contents of that backup, to consist of at least the following information:
Subp. 27.
System access; password requirements.
A.
The manufacturer must maintain password access for the manufacturer; the distributor must maintain password access for the distributor; and the organization must maintain password access for the gambling manager and sellers.
B.
The operating system software and application software must have multiple security access levels to control and restrict different classes of access to the system. The accounts for the access levels must be unique when assigned to the authorized personnel and only one user per account is allowed.
C.
The manufacturer, the distributor, and the organization must register employees with authorized system access with the board.
D.
The operating system software and application software must provide comprehensive password security or other secure means of ensuring data integrity and enforcing user permission. It is required that:
(1)
all programs and data files must only be accessible via the entry of passwords, that will be known only to the manufacturer, distributor, and gambling manager, based on respective level-of-access criteria;
(3)
a program must be available that will list all registered users on the system including their privilege level;
Subp. 28.
System log-in and log-out requirements.
System log-in and log-out requirements apply to manufacturers, distributors, gambling managers, assistant gambling managers, and sellers.
A.
The operating system and any local and central servers must have a password log-in with two level codes comprising of a personal identification code and a personal password.
Subp. 29.
Time signature.
The time signature generated by the electronic device, the local server, and the central server must be identical.
Subp. 30.
Electronic accounting and reporting; record of daily system transactions.
A.
One or more electronic accounting systems must perform reporting and other functions in support of the electronic pull-tab game system. The electronic accounting system must not interfere with the outcome of any gaming function.
B.
A permanent record of daily transactions played on the electronic pull-tab system and device must be maintained by the electronic pull-tab game system on a database other than on the local server. The database and central server must be accessible to the Gambling Control Board at all times.
Subp. 31.
Reporting requirements of electronic accounting system.
The electronic pull-tab game system must provide the following reports to the Gambling Control Board and the Department of Revenue.
A.
An electronic pull-tab game report must be available to the board on demand for each game currently in play. The report must contain the following information:
B.
An electronic pull-tab game report must be available to the board on demand for each completed game. The report must contain the following information:
C.
Other electronic pull-tab game reports that must be available to the board on demand are:
(3)
Month-end reports for each site totaling all daily sales activity, detail of all games closed during the month, and status of games remaining in play.
(4)
Inventory reports:
(a)
current site inventory, if any, including games in play, unplayed games, and closed games; and
(6)
Real-time site activity report with the ability to:
(c)
view each transaction with date and time stamp, including seller log-in and log-off, device load, game play, device redeemed, and any malfunction.
D.
Other statistical and activity reports as required by the board and maintained by the manufacturer and the distributor must be provided in a format prescribed by the board upon request.
Subp. 32.
Test system and equipment.
Manufacturers must provide a test system and equipment to the Gambling Control Board, at the manufacturer's expense, to test pending and approved games.
Subp. 33.
Test software.
A.
Manufacturers must provide identical software to the board as part of system approval by an independent testing laboratory and must disable the ability to write to the hard drive.
B.
Manufacturers must allow regulatory test software to be added to an electronic game system to verify approved product.
Subp. 34.
Electronic game system.
A.
Each component of an electronic game system must function as indicated by the communication protocol implemented by the licensed manufacturer of the electronic pull-tab game system.
B.
All communication between a server and the electronic pull-tab devices must use authentication and encryption protection employing Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) specifications as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to provide secure authentication of the device and the server, ensuring the integrity of the data communicated, and for confidentiality.
C.
The communicated data must be encrypted. The certified testing laboratory must examine each submitted electronic game system to ensure that the proposed field configuration is secure. The certified testing laboratory may provide additional security recommendations to maintain the integrity of the configuration.
D.
The electronic game system must be capable of being tested by the board to verify approved product.
Subp. 35.
Electronic game system security.
A.
The electronic game system security must be designed or programmed in such a way that it may only communicate with authorized electronic devices using a nonbroadcasting encrypted system.
B.
The electronic game system security must include the ability to automatically disable an electronic pull-tab device if the device goes beyond a physical property restriction at a sales location. The device must remain disabled until reactivated at the point of sale.
C.
The electronic game system must be secure from all other site communication systems and users at a gambling site.
Subp. 36.
Firewall protection.
Communications must pass through at least one application-level firewall recognized by the certified testing laboratory. Alternative network paths are allowed if equally protected by a firewall. The firewall application must maintain an audit log of the following information and must disable all communications if unauthorized access is detected:
Subp. 37.
Remote access.
Where permitted by the board, remote access must authenticate all computer systems based on the authorized settings or firewall application. The following are additional requirements:
B.
no unauthorized access to any database other than information retrieval using existing functions;
Subp. 38.
Prior board approval required for electronic gambling equipment; conformance with standards for previously approved electronic gambling equipment; independent laboratory testing required for certain electronic gambling equipment.
This subpart applies to board approval of electronic gambling equipment, conformance with standards for previously approved electronic gambling equipment, and independent laboratory testing required for certain electronic gambling equipment.
A.
Before the sale, lease, or distribution of any electronic gambling equipment in Minnesota, a manufacturer must obtain prior board approval for the electronic gambling equipment. The manufacturer must provide to the director at no charge the following:
(3)
the electronic pull-tab game test system and equipment to be used to determine compliance with this part.
B.
Electronic pull-tab deals submitted for approval of a new family of games proposed for production or already in production but not yet approved for sale in Minnesota or new members to a previously approved family of games must include:
(1)
the front of the flare, prize pool board if any, ticket for each game, and any cumulative or progressive jackpot flare;
(5)
for new members of a previously approved family of games, the date when that family of games was previously approved by the board.
C.
Electronic gambling equipment must be received by the board on or before the 15th day of the month to ensure consideration at the board's meeting the following month. The manufacturer must include information on any equipment that will be sold or leased on an exclusive basis according to part 7864.0240, subpart 1a.
D.
The board must notify the manufacturer in writing no later than five days after a board meeting of the board's decision on whether the product is approved for sale in Minnesota. Board approval is not considered approval of the bar code required by the commissioner of revenue.
E.
For changes to the payout structure or ticket count for any approved game or for any game within a family of games, the manufacturer must assign a new game form number and submit the game to the board for approval before being offered for sale in Minnesota.
F.
For changes to approved electronic gambling equipment, the manufacturer must submit the changes to the director for review and, if required by the director, the equipment must be submitted for review and approval by the board. Electronic gambling equipment approved prior to the effective date of this part must become compliant within 180 days of the effective date of this part.
G.
Within 14 days of receipt of a deal, the director must notify the manufacturer in writing of the director's decision to recommend approval or recommend denial of a game.
(1)
The written notice of the director's recommended denial must state the basis for the director's recommendation of denial. Within 14 days of receipt of a notice of the director's recommended denial, the manufacturer may request a contested case hearing under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14.
H.
Manufacturers are in compliance if the electronic gambling equipment is approved by the board and is produced in compliance with the manufacturing standards prescribed in this part. Once approved, a manufacturer may not change the equipment without prior approval of the board, in compliance with this part.
The board may withdraw its approval if it determines that the electronic gambling equipment was not manufactured in such a manner to be tamper-resistant. If the board decides that its approval should be withdrawn, the board will notify the manufacturer of its right to request a contested case hearing under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14.
I.
Electronic gambling equipment, including electronic bingo devices, electronic pull-tab devices, electronic systems, and programmable electronic devices, that are submitted for approval must consist of the following:
(1)
a copy of the manufacturer's catalog or brochure illustrating that the item meets board-prescribed manufacturing standards for the equipment; and
(2)
a description of the item and its features.
The board may require the manufacturer to make the equipment available to the board for inspection.
In addition to the requirements of subitems (1) and (2), manufacturers submitting electronic bingo devices, electronic pull-tab devices, electronic systems, or programmable electronic devices for approval must also include a certification from an independent testing laboratory approved by the board to perform testing services, stating that the equipment has been tested and analyzed and meets the standards required in this chapter. The board may require that a programmable electronic device must be tested and certified by an independent testing laboratory approved by the board.
J.
Independent testing requirements for electronic gambling equipment when required by the board shall include a certification from a board-approved testing laboratory that the electronic gambling equipment tested meets the manufacturing standards and requirements as established in Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules and in conformance with game procedures as provided by the manufacturer. The certification must include:
(1)
a detailed description of the equipment and related software applications that were tested, including applicable model numbers of specific equipment and the software version of the application used for testing;
(2)
the specific reference to the standard being tested and a statement that the equipment meets the standard; and
(3)
any additional findings or issues of concern that might affect the performance or play of the equipment.
History:
38 SR 1613
Published Electronically:
June 24, 2014
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes