§ 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) of this section, the commissioner 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 department. (d) The commissioner 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. See Sec. 53-343a re presence of persons under twenty-one years of age in class III gaming facilities.

Legislative History

(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; P.A. 11-51, S. 182.) 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; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “executive director” and “division” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “commissioner” and “department”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011.