Georgia Code
Part 1 - General Provisions
§ 50-27-70. Legislative Findings; Definitions

The term also means a machine of any kind or character used by the public to provide music whose operation requires the payment of or the insertion of a coin, bill, other money, token, ticket, card, or similar object such as jukeboxes or other similar types of music machines.
(10.1) “Master licensee” means any person that has lawfully applied for and received a master license.
History. Code 1981, § 48-17-1 , enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 1521, § 3; Ga. L. 1995, p. 10, § 48; Ga. L. 1998, p. 128, § 48; Ga. L. 1998, p. 563, § 2; Ga. L. 1999, p. 1223, § 1; Ga. L. 2001, Ex. Sess., p. 312, § 3; Ga. L. 2005, p. 60, § 48/HB 95; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-88/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2010, p. 470, § 1/SB 454; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1136, § 3/SB 431; Code 1981, § 50-27-70 , as redesignated by Ga. L. 2013, p. 37, § 1-1/HB 487; Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 48/HB 79; Ga. L. 2014, p. 866, § 50/SB 340; Ga. L. 2015, p. 39, § 1/SB 190.
Code Commission notes.
The amendment of this Code section by Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-88, irreconcilably conflicted with and was treated as superseded by Ga. L. 2010, p. 470, § 1. See County of Butts v. Strahan, 151 Ga. 417 (1921); Keener v. McDougall, 232 Ga. 273 (1974).
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 2001, Ex. Sess., p. 312, § 4, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “This Act is not intended to, and should not be construed to, affect the legality of the repair, transport, possession, or use of otherwise prohibited gambling devices on maritime vessels within the jurisdiction of the State of Georgia. To the extent that such repair, transport, possession, or use was lawful prior to the enactment of this Act, it shall not be prohibited by this Act; and to the extent that such repair, transport, possession, or use was prohibited prior to the enactment of this Act, it shall not be permitted by this Act.”
Ga. L. 2001, Ex. Sess., p. 312, § 5, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “During the period beginning January 1, 2002, and ending June 30, 2002, it shall not be unlawful to possess in this state a machine or device described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 16-12-20, if: (1) Such machine is not in use; (2) Such machine is in transit to a storage facility or in a storage facility, which said storage facility is a secured facility and no part of same is accessible by anyone other than employees of said facility or employees of the owner of said machine; and (3) Such machine is not located in a place which is open to the public and is not located in a private club.”
Ga. L. 2012, p. 1136, § 4/SB 431, not codified by the General Assembly, provides in part that this Code section shall apply to conduct that occurs on and after May 2, 2012. It is not the intention of this Act to abate any prosecution undertaken for conduct occurring under the law in effect prior to such date, and any offense committed before May 2, 2012, shall be prosecuted and punished under the statutes in effect at the time the offense was committed.
Ga. L. 2013, p. 37, § 3-1/HB 487, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that: “(b) If any section of this Act is determined to be unconstitutional by a final decision of an appellate court of competent jurisdiction or by the trial court of competent jurisdiction if no appeal is made, with the exception of subsection (g) of Code Section 50-27-78 and Section 2-1 of this Act, this Act shall stand repealed by operation of law.
“(c) This Act is not intended to and shall not be construed to affect the legality of the repair, transport, possession, or use of otherwise prohibited gambling devices on maritime vessels within the jurisdiction of the State of Georgia. To the extent that such repair, transport, possession, or use was lawful prior to the enactment of this Act, it shall not be made illegal by this Act; and to the extent that such repair, transport, possession, or use was prohibited prior to the enactment of this Act, it shall remain prohibited.” As of May 2022, no such decision has been issued.
Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 54(f)/HB79, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “In the event of a conflict between a provision in Sections 1 through 53 of this Act and a provision of another Act enacted at the 2013 regular session of the General Assembly, the provision of such other Act shall control over the conflicting provision in Sections 1 through 53 of this Act to the extent of the conflict.” Accordingly, the amendment to paragraphs (8) and (9) of this Code section by Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 48/HB 79 was not given effect in this Code section.
Law reviews.
For annual survey on administrative law, see 71 Mercer L. Rev. 1 (2019).