Gambling Control Act.

Existing law, the Gambling Control Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of various legalized gambling activities and establishments by the California Gambling Control Commission and the investigation and enforcement of those activities and establishments by the Department of Justice. Existing law authorizes the commission and the department to impose and collect fees for various actions related to the licensure and regulation of gambling. Existing law authorizes the commission and the department to adopt regulations regarding the fees. This bill would require the commission and the department, when increasing a fee amount, to include a clear statement justifying the need for the fee increase and explaining how the funds will be used, in the regulation updating the fee. Existing law authorizes the department to require an applicant to deposit money adequate to pay the costs of an investigation associated with an application for a license, and allows the department to require additional funds to be deposited during the investigation, as needed. Existing law requires the department, at the conclusion of the investigation, to refund any unused portion of this deposit and to provide a written accounting of costs and charges. This bill would require a more detailed accounting of charges and would require this accounting to be provided whenever an additional deposit of funds is requested by the department.