cmr-205-141.00•205 CMR 141.00 — Surveillance of the gaming establishment
205 CMR 141.00 — Surveillance of the gaming establishment
cmr-205-141.00205 CMR 141.00Regulation
205 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION 205 CMR 141.00:SURVEILLANCE OF THE GAMING ESTABLISHMENT Section 141.01: Approval of Surveillance System 141.02: Commission Access to the Surveillance System 141.03: CCTV Equipment 141.04: Areas to Be Monitored and Recorded 141.05: Requirements of the Surveillance System Plan 141.06: Notice to the Commission of Changes 141.07: Recording Transmission Outside of the Gaming Establishment 141.08: Independence of the Surveillance Department 141.09: Access to the Monitoring Room
205 CMR 141.00 Surveillance of the gaming establishment
141.01 Approval of Surveillance System
141.01: Approval of Surveillance System (1) In accordance with 205 CMR, all gaming licensees must submit a plan to the commission for a system of effective closed circuit television (“CCTV”) surveillance of the gaming establishment. No gaming licensee may commence gaming operations without the commission’s approval of its CCTV surveillance plan as part of its system of internal controls. The surveillance plan must adequately address, at a minimum, all elements included in 205 CMR 141.00. (2) Nothing in 205 CMR 141.00 shall be construed so as to limit a gaming licensee’s use of advanced technology or new technology, provided that if the gaming licensee intends to utilize any new technology not identified in its initial proposal submitted in accordance with 205 CMR, it shall submit for commission approval the changes to its system of internal controls to incorporate the use of any such new technology in accordance with 205 CMR. (3) The term commission in 205 CMR 141.00 shall include staff assigned to the IEB and any other designated staff of the commission. (4) The term division in 205 CMR 141.00 shall include Assistant Attorneys General and State Police assigned to the Division of Gaming Enforcement in accordance with M.G.L. c. 12, § 11M.
141.02 Commission Access to the Surveillance System
141.02: Commission Access to the Surveillance System A surveillance plan must provide for the commission and the division to be afforded access to the CCTV system and its transmissions including, at a minimum: (1)Use of and unfettered access, by way of keycard or other similar mechanism, to the monitoring room in the gaming establishment and all materials therein; (2) Ability of commission and the division, upon written approval from the director of the IEB, the commander of the gaming enforcement unit of the State Police, or chief of the division to direct employees of the gaming establishment to vacate the monitoring room in the event that such presence would, in the determination of the commission or the division, compromise the integrity of an investigation and there are no alternative means available to pursue the information; (3) Monitors located within the commission office in the gaming establishment which are capable of accessing all video and audio and still photography available to the gaming licensee, with the ability for the commission to independently control any camera; (4) Ability of the commission and the division, or its designated staff, to access the CCTV system and its transmissions, that have been encrypted to ensure security, remotely outside of the gaming establishment; (5) Recording(s) or photographs(s) to be made by the gaming licensee at the direction of the commission or the division; and (6)Integration of a priority system preventing staff of the gaming establishment from controlling a segment of the system when being utilized by the commission, the division, or its staff.
141.03 CCTV Equipment
141.03: CCTV Equipment (Mass. Register #1563, 12/19/2025)
205 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION A surveillance plan must provide for the utilization of a CCTV surveillance system which includes, at a minimum, the following equipment and specifications: (1) Light sensitive cameras, with lenses of sufficient magnification to allow for the reading of information on gaming chips, playing cards, dice, tiles, slot machine reel symbols, slot machine credit meters, and employee credentials and with 360E pan, tilt and zoom (“PTZ”) capabilities to effectively and clandestinely monitor in detail and from various vantage points; (2) Equipment and supplies as may be required by the Commission, taking into consideration current developments in electronic and computer technology, for the effective performance of the activities to be conducted therein including, without limitation: (a) A communication system capable of monitoring all gaming establishment security department activities; and (b) If computerized monitoring systems are used by the gaming licensee in its gaming operations, view-only terminals which allow access to all information concerning cage, slot, and table games operations; (3) High definition digital recording equipment which: (a) Permits the preservation and viewing of transmissions produced by all cameras; (b) Is capable of the superimposition of time and date stamping on each recording; (c) Possesses the ability to identify and locate a particular event that was recorded; (d) Reproduces events in color, unless otherwise approved by the Commission; (e) Records all images on a hard drive or server; (f) Locks such that access to the erase and reformat functions, and system data files is restricted to employees specifically authorized for those purposes; (g) Provides uninterrupted recording of surveillance during playback or copying; (h) Is capable of copying original images while maintaining the original native format and that can store the images at a rate of not less than 30 frames per second; (i) Will record images at a minimum resolution of 320 x 240 and display during playback at a minimum resolution of 640 x 480; (j) Will store images in a format that is readable by the Commission’s equipment; (k) Will store images in a format such that they can be verified and authenticated; (l) Is equipped with an uninterruptible power source to allow a proper system shutdown; (m) Films at four CIF (Common Intermediate Format) minimum 704 x 576 pixels resolution; (n) Films at 30 frames per second (real time recording) for all required filming, all operator observed activity, and all events requested by the Commission; and (o) Ensures that all complimentary kiosk machines, self-redemption machines, change booths, and access to the surveillance server have dedicated coverage sufficient to identify patrons and employees. (4) Recording media, which shall be replaced as expeditiously as possible upon the manifestation of any significant degradation in the quality of the images or sound; and (5) Audio capability in the soft count room and an alternative method to visually identify the drop box or asset number being processed from surveillance footage; (6) Watermarking and encryption systems shall be explained in detail as part of the surveillance plan.
141.04 Areas to Be Monitored and Recorded
141.04: Areas to Be Monitored and Recorded (1) A surveillance plan must provide, at a minimum, for the effective monitoring of the following areas of the gaming establishment in detail and from various vantage points: (a) The gaming area including, but not limited to, effective and clandestine observation of:
- Slot machine play;
205 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
141.04 continued
141.04: continued 2. Table game play including: a. One or more fixed or PTZ cameras focused over each gambling table, covering the entire table layout, provided that each table is viewable by at least three PTZ cameras; b. A sufficient number of cameras to monitor players and dealers at each gambling table that are: i. Dedicated to each table; and ii. Able to determine the card, tile, dice and chip values for winning hands. 3. Each simulcast window that is open for business; 4. Operations conducted in cashier cages, and the offices ancillary thereto, to include coverage sufficient to observe the face of each patron transacting business at each cage and satellite cage window from the direction of the cashier; and to include a fixed camera over each money drawer; 5. All processes conducted in count rooms, within which there must be audio capability; 6. Movement and storage of cash, gaming chips, and all other representatives of value, cards, dice, tiles, and any other equipment used in table games, drop boxes, slot drop boxes and within the gaming establishment; 7. All entrances and exits to and within the gaming area; and 9. The operation of gaming voucher redemption machines and gaming voucher systems and electronic transfer credit systems. (b) The following locations, persons or transactions:
- A slot machine or table game that is connected to a progressive payout meter displaying a potential payout of $50,000 or more;
- Main bank areas where gross revenue functions are performed as may be required by the Commission;
- The execution of fills and credits at the chip bank;
- The collection of drop boxes, slot drop boxes, and slot cash storage boxes;
- Any armored car collection or delivery of cash for which security escort or surveillance coverage is required;
- The inspection and distribution to gaming pits of cards, dice and tiles;
- Each transaction conducted at an automated bill breaker, voucher/coupon redemption and jackpot payout machine, as well as each replenishment or other servicing of any such machines;
- The count area or count room;
- Counting of dealer tips in accordance with 205 CMR and the policies and procedure submitted in accordance therewith. (c) The non-gaming area including, but not limited to, the effective and clandestine observation of:
- Any location within the gaming establishment wherein any armored car collection or delivery of cash occurs;
- Any area where slot machines and gaming equipment or their respective parts are stored;
- Parking areas of the gaming establishment; and
- Public areas of the gaming establishment, designated by the Commission for these purposes, including outside the entrances to the gaming area;
- Surveillance review area, (the area where all non-surveillance employees review coverage); surveillance monitor room, surveillance rack room and server room. (d) Any other area so directed by the Commission (2) The gaming licensee shall submit for approval the ratio between the number of surveillance operators and the square footage of areas to be covered, which includes the minimum staffing in the monitor room at all times (3) Cameras shall be positioned: (a) In a manner that will prevent them from being obstructed, tampered with, or disabled; and (b) Behind a smoked dome, one-way mirror, or similar materials that conceal the camera from view.
205 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
141.05 Requirements of the Surveillance System Plan
141.05: Requirements of the Surveillance System Plan A surveillance plan must, at a minimum, incorporate the following: (1) A training and qualifications program that shows surveillance operations personnel are properly trained or certified to recognize abnormalities and violations in procedures, including documentation of on-going training; (2) An adequate emergency power system at all times sufficient to prevent required monitoring from being unreasonably delayed, and a contingency plan to be utilized whenever a power failure occurs that can be used to operate the CCTV system in the event of a power failure. Such power system shall be tested in the presence of the Commission at 12-month intervals subject to more frequent retesting upon failure of a test; (3) A preventive maintenance program, implemented by technicians assigned to the surveillance department or, if assigned to another department, subject to the direction and control of the director of surveillance, which ensures that the entire CCTV system is maintained in proper working order and that transparent covers over CCTV system cameras are cleaned in accordance with a routine maintenance schedule. In the event that preventive maintenance to be performed by a technician assigned to another department is required on an emergency basis, the surveillance department shall have priority with respect to personnel resources of such other department to ensure the efficacy of the CCTV system; (4) Connection to all gaming establishment alarm systems enabling instant notification of any such alarm and monitoring of any area to which the alarm applies and which provides a visible, audible or combination signal; provided, however, that any robbery or other emergency-type alarm shall be perceptually distinguishable from all non-emergency alarm types in a manner approved by the Commission (for example, robbery alarm is the only audible alarm); (5) An updated photo library, consisting of photographs that are no more than four years old, of all current employees of the gaming establishment, which photo library shall be available to the Commission upon request; (6) Provision for an updated operational blueprint depicting all areas of the gaming establishment, and elsewhere where CCTV coverage is available, that is readily accessible to all monitoring room personnel and representatives of the Commission. In a PDF or other such common electronic format. (7) A surveillance log securely maintained that includes detailed reports of all surveillances conducted. The log shall be maintained by monitoring room personnel and shall be stored securely, in a manner approved by the Commission, within the surveillance department. The surveillance log shall be available for inspection at any time by the Commission. At a minimum, the following information shall be recorded in a surveillance log: (a) Date and time each surveillance commenced; (b) The name and license credential number of each person who initiates, performs or supervises the surveillance; (c) Reason for surveillance, including the name, if known, alias or description of each individual being monitored, and a brief description of the activity in which the person being monitored is engaging; (d) The times at which each video or audio recording is commenced and terminated; (e) The time at which each suspected criminal offense is observed, along with a notation of the reading on the meter, counter or device that identifies the point on the video recording at which such offense was recorded; (f) Time of termination of surveillance; and (g) Summary of results of the surveillance. (8) Signals from all cameras required, in accordance with 205 CMR 141.04, shall be recorded and retained for a minimum of 30 days unless notified by the Commission or the division within that period that any such recordings must be retained for any longer period so designated by the Commission or the division and shall be made available for review upon request by the Commission. In addition, any such recordings which are determined by the Commission to be of potential evidentiary value shall be retained and stored pursuant to Commission directives. Upon written request by a gaming licensee, the Commission may allow a gaming licensee to retain surveillance recordings of certain areas of the gaming establishment for less than 30 days;
205 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
141.05 continued
141.05: continued (9) Continuous lighting of all areas, including gaming tables, offices, cages, equipment storage rooms, card and dice destruction rooms and pits, where CCTV system camera coverage is required by 205 CMR 141.04, that is of sufficient quality to produce clear recordings and still picture reproductions. (10) No use of multiplexing and quad recording devices for required surveillance recordings in accordance with 205 CMR 141.04. (11) That surveillance room entrances are not visible from the gambling floor; and
141.06 Notice to the Commission of Changes
141.06: Notice to the Commission of Changes (1) A surveillance plan must provide for notification to the commission prior to the occurrence of any of the following: (a) CCTV equipment is replaced or relocated; including any change/upgrade to system hardware, firmware or software, including identifying the reason for the change; (b) Slot machine (in accordance with 205 CMR 144.03: Installation and Approval for Use of an Electronic Gaming Device) or table game (in accordance with 205 CMR 138.66(3)(b)) locations are modified (so as to enable the commission to review the new locations for adequate coverage). (2) A surveillance plan must provide for notification to the commission following an equipment failure. Notice of such shall be immediately made to the IEB, upon discovery by the gaming licensee, and include the time and cause of the malfunction, if known, the time that the security department was apprised of the malfunction by the surveillance department, if applicable, and any communications with the security department by the surveillance department relating to the malfunction.
141.07 Recording Transmission outside of the Gaming Establishment
141.07: Recording Transmission outside of the Gaming Establishment A surveillance plan must provide limitations on CCTV transmissions that, at a minimum, do not allow transmissions outside the gaming establishment with the exception of: (1) Wide-area progressive slot machine systems monitoring; (2) Remote access to the system exclusively by the commission and the division at an off-site commission office or division office via an encrypted transmission; and (3) Such transmissions as may be permitted outside the gaming establishment by written order of the commission; and (4) Transmission of signal to the man-trap to allow department to view who is trying to gain entry.
141.08 Independence of the Surveillance Department
141.08: Independence of the Surveillance Department A surveillance plan must provide for the independence of surveillance department employees assigned to monitor the activities of the gaming establishment. 205 CMR 141.08 shall include, at a minimum, that those employees shall be independent of all other departments. 205 CMR 141.08 must include the period of time that must lapse before: (a) Any surveillance department employee who monitored the activities of the gaming establishment may become employed in any department that said employee had monitored; and (b) Any non-surveillance employee who works in the gaming establishment of the gaming licensee can become employed in the surveillance department. Upon petition to the IEB and for good cause shown, the gaming licensee may request a relaxation of the time periods herein for individual cases.
205 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
141.09 Access to the Monitoring Room
141.09: Access to the Monitoring Room A surveillance plan must provide for limited access to the monitoring room which, at a minimum, shall include: (1) That the entrances to the monitoring room not be visible from the gaming area or any other public area; (2) Identification by position of each employee allowed access to the monitoring room or any other designated area capable of receiving CCTV transmission. Any person who enters any monitoring room or such designated area, who is not a surveillance department employee, shall sign the Monitoring Room Entry Log upon entering the restricted area. The Monitoring Room Entry Log shall be: (a) Kept in the CCTV monitoring room; (b) Maintained in a book with bound numbered pages that cannot be readily removed or via an electronic equivalent; (c) Signed by each person whose presence is not expressly authorized in accordance with 205 CMR 141.09(2), with each entry containing, at a minimum, the following information:
- The date and time of entering into the monitoring room or designated area;
- The entering person’s name and his or her department or affiliation;
- The reason for entering the monitoring room or designated area;
- The name of the person authorizing the person’s entry into the monitoring room or designated area; and
- The date and time of exiting the monitoring room or designated area. (3) The Monitoring Room Entry Log shall be made available for inspection by the Commission at all times. (4) For server based monitoring systems, a plan for restricting access to monitoring and recording by unauthorized personnel such as IT personnel and members of management. (5) All servers and related equipment associated with the surveillance system shall be under control of the surveillance department. (6) There shall be limited access to the surveillance server equipment. Notification in writing shall be made to the on-site IEB in advance of any outside vendor having access to the surveillance system. Emergency service access notification may be made via telephone to the on-site IEB, but shall be followed up with notification in writing as to the nature of the emergency. An electronic log shall be generated for any remote access into the system. The log entries shall contain the name of the person and company accessing the system, their license or registration number, the identity of the individual authorizing the access, the access method, the reason for access, the date of the access, and the time access was started and ended. REGULATORY AUTHORITY 205 CMR 141.00: M.G.L. c. 23K, §§ 4(28), 4(37) and 5(9).
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