§ 56 — Fees and annual assessment of costs not otherwise covered by fees or other sources of funding

Section 56. (a) In addition to any other tax or fee imposed by this chapter, there shall be imposed an annual license fee of $600 for each slot machine approved by the commission for use by a gaming licensee at a gaming establishment; provided, however, that not sooner than 5 years after award of an original gaming license, the commission may annually adjust the fee for inflation. The fee shall be imposed as of July 1 of each year for all approved slot machines on that date and shall be assessed on a pro rata basis for any slot machine approved for use thereafter.(b) The commission shall establish fees for any investigation into a violation of this chapter or regulation promulgated hereunder by a gaming licensee to be paid by the gaming licensee including, but not limited to, billable hours by commission staff involved in the investigation and the costs of services, equipment or other expenses that are incurred by the commission during the investigation.(c) Any remaining costs of the commission necessary to maintain regulatory control over gaming establishments that are not covered by: (i) the fees set forth in subsections (a) and (b); (ii) any other fees assessed under this chapter; or (iii) any other designated sources of funding, shall be assessed annually on gaming licensees under this chapter in proportion to the number of gaming positions at each gaming establishment. Each gaming licensee shall pay the amount assessed against it within 30 days after the date of the notice of assessment from the commission.(d) If the fees collected in subsections (a) and (b) exceed the cost required to maintain regulatory control, the surplus funds shall be credited in proportional shares against each gaming licensee's next assessment.(e) In addition to the fees collected under this section and any additional costs of the commission, the commission shall assess an annual fee of not less than $5,000,000 in proportional shares against each gaming licensee in proportion to the number of gaming positions at each gaming establishment for the costs of service and public health programs dedicated to addressing problems associated with compulsive gambling or other addiction services. Such assessed fees shall be deposited into the Public Health Trust Fund established in section 58.(f) All fees and assessments collected under this section, except those collected under subsection (e), shall be deposited into the Gaming Control Fund established in section 57.