(a) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall establish a program for the treatment and rehabilitation of compulsive gamblers in the state. The program shall provide prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services for chronic gamblers. The department may enter into agreements with subregional planning and action councils and nonprofit organizations to assist in providing these services, provided not less than twenty-five per cent of the amount received pursuant to section 12-818 annually shall be set aside for contracts with subregional planning and action councils established pursuant to section 17a-671 and nonprofit organizations and not less than five per cent of the amount received pursuant to section 12-818 annually shall be set aside for a contract with the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. The department may impose a reasonable fee, on a sliding scale, on those participants who can afford to pay for any such services. The department shall implement such program when the account established under subsection (b) of this section is sufficient to meet initial operating expenses. As used in this section, “chronic gambler” means a person who is chronically and progressively preoccupied with gambling and the urge to gamble, and with gambling behavior that compromises, disrupts or damages personal, family or vocational pursuits.

(b) The program established by subsection (a) of this section shall be funded by imposition of: (1) A fee of one hundred thirty-five dollars on each association license, for each performance of jai alai or dog racing conducted under the provisions of chapter 226, provided no such licensee shall contribute more than forty-five thousand dollars in any one year; (2) a fee of twenty-five dollars for each teletheater performance on each operator of a teletheater facility; and (3) the amount received from the Connecticut Lottery Corporation pursuant to section 12-818. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall collect the fee from each association licensee or such operator on a monthly basis. The receipts shall be deposited in the General Fund and credited to a separate, nonlapsing chronic gamblers treatment and rehabilitation account which shall be established by the Comptroller. All moneys in the account are deemed to be appropriated and shall be expended for the purposes established in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The department shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the purposes of this section.

(S.A. 81-68, S. 1, 2; S.A. 83-17; S.A. 84-68; P.A. 86-312, S. 17, 21; P.A. 92-216, S. 2, 3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 116, 130; P.A. 95-257, S. 5, 58; P.A. 99-173, S. 59, 65; P.A. 11-51, S. 182.)

History: S.A. 83-17 extended expiration date of program from December 31, 1983, to December 31, 1984, and required collection of fee until June 30, 1984; S.A. 84-68 extended expiration date to “no later than December 31, 1986”, and required collection of fee until June 30, 1986; P.A. 86-312 deleted reference to “pilot” program and all references to dates and changed treatment and rehabilitation “fund” to a separate nonlapsing “account” within the general fund; Sec. 17-261a transferred to Sec. 17a-477 in 1991; P.A. 92-216 transferred program from control of mental health commissioner to alcohol and drug abuse commission, deleted detailed list of specific services provided in Subsec. (a), deleted former Subsec. (c) re reimbursement of association licensees and relettered former Subsec. (d) accordingly; Sec. 17a-477 transferred to Sec. 17a-666 in 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced Connecticut alcohol and drug abuse commission with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to require imposition of $25 fee for each teletheater performance on each operator of a teletheater facility, deleting obsolete references to “tele-track” performances and persons, firms or corporations providing totalizator equipment and services for tele-track facilities, effective July 1, 1994; Sec. 17a-666 transferred to Sec. 19a-4h in 1995; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; Sec. 19a-4h transferred to Sec. 17a-713 in 1997; P.A. 99-173 amended Subsec. (a) re contracts and funds for subregional planning and action councils, and added Subsec. (b)(3) re amounts received from the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, effective July 1, 1999; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “executive director of the Division of Special Revenue” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Consumer Protection” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011.

See Sec. 12-563a re informational materials concerning programs for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of chronic gamblers prepared by Department of Consumer Protection.

See Sec. 12-818 re transfer of funds from Connecticut Lottery Corporation for educational, prevention and treatment programs.