1486                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [CH. 893

[and the sum of fifty ($50.00) dollars per annum for each free play
console machine as hereinafter defined.] Each machine licensed
hereunder shall have affixed to it a certificate issued by the clerk
of the circuit court of the county in which said machine is to be
operated or maintained, showing that the fee for the current year
has been paid. All licenses shall expire on the thirtieth day of April
in each year, shall be transferable to any machine of the same type
and the fee shall be prorated monthly. All license fees collected under
the provisions of this section shall be paid to the county clerk for
deposit in the "county fund," and disbursed therefrom in the manner
and for the purposes prescribed by the county commissioners.

(2)    For the purposes of this section a "free play pinball machine"
is defined as a machine which, upon the insertion of one or more
coins, causes the mechanism to release one or more balls for the use
of the player, to be propelled by means of a plunger.

Upon the obtaining of certain scores or combinations of numbers,
the machine rewards the player with a specified number of free games,
allowing the player to continue to play the machine without the
insertion of additional coins or tokens. The free play pinball machine
shall not pay out either cash or tokens. [For the purposes of this
section, a "free play console machine" is defined as a machine, the
mechanism of which is encased in a wooden or metal cabinet, with
a backboard upon which are certain combinations of numbers or
symbols which the player must match. The insertion of one or more
coins or tokens by the player releases the mechanism and causes
two or more reels to spin. If the reels stop on specified combinations,
matching those on the backboards, the machine rewards the player
with a specified number of free games, allowing the player to con-
tinue to play the machine without the insertion of additional coins
or tokens. The free play console machine shall not pay out either
cash or tokens.]

(3)    The maintenance, possession and operation of machines [of
either] of the type [s] hereinbefore described, and the awarding of
free games to players of said machines, as above set forth, are hereby
declared to be lawful when such machines are duly licensed in ac-
cordance with the provisions of this section, any other provision of
the law notwithstanding. It shall, however, be unlawful for any per-
son, partnership, firm or corporation maintaining, operating or pos-
sessing any such machine to permit the use or operation thereof by
any person under the age of sixteen years.

(4)    Any person, partnership, firm or corporation keeping, main-
taining, possessing or operating any of the aforesaid machines with-
out a license, as hereinbefore provided, or violating any of the other
provisions of this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction thereof be fined not less than twenty-five ($25.00) dollars
nor more than one hundred ($100.00) dollars for each offense.

(5)    The provisions of this section shall apply only to Washington
County.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1965 JANUARY 1, 1966.

Approved May 4, 1965.