KRS 238.510: Office of Charitable Gaming -- Conflicts of interest of staff -- Gaming

investigators.

(1) The Office of Charitable Gaming is created as an office within the Kentucky Horse

Racing and Gaming Corporation. Subject to the authority of the corporation, the

office shall license and regulate the conduct of charitable gaming and license and

regulate charitable organizations that desire to engage in charitable gaming,

charitable gaming facilities, manufacturers, and distributors in the C ommonwealth

of Kentucky in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(2) The president shall employ necessary staff to administer and enforce the provisions

of this chapter.

(3) No employee of the corporation during his or her term of employment shal l be an

officer in a charitable organization that is licensed to conduct charitable gaming or

be involved in the conduct of charitable gaming as a member of a licensed

charitable organization. No employee of the corporation during his or her term of

employment shall be licensed as a manufacturer, distributor, or charitable gaming

facility, or have a financial interest in any business that is licensed as a

manufacturer, distributor, or charitable gaming facility.

(4) The president may appoint investigators who may have the powers of peace officers

throughout the Commonwealth for the purposes of enforcing this chapter and any

law relating directly or indirectly to the conduct of horse racing, pari -mutuel

wagering, sports wagering, and charitable gaming, as wel l as the enforcement of

laws relating to the protection of persons or property on licensed premises. The

peace officer powers of investigators appointed under this subsection shall be

limited to:

(a) Enforcement of the provisions of KRS Chapters 230 and 238;

(b) Violations of KRS Chapter 528, relating to:

1. Unlicensed and illegal gaming;

2. Gambling offenses committed on licensed premises; and

3. Gambling offenses committed in conjunction with a legal gaming

activity;

(c) Violations of KRS Chapter 514, relating to theft, embezzlement, or other

illegal diversions of legal gaming proceeds;

(d) Violations of KRS Chapters 516 and 517, relating to forge ry and fraud in the

conduct of legal gaming;

(e) Violations relating to the damage or destruction of real or personal property

owned or leased by a licensee; and

(f) Violation of any criminal felony offense committed:

1. On licensed gaming premises; and

2. In the presence of an investigator.

(5) Horse racing and gaming investigators may satisfy the certification standards

established by the Department of Criminal Justice Training pursuant to KRS

Chapter 15, but this certification shall not be required for a ny investigators hired

after July 1, 2025. Horse racing and gaming investigators shall not qualify for

hazardous duty coverage under the Kentucky Employees Retirement System.