(a) Any person who knowingly makes a false statement on an application is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000 and confined in jail for not more than six months except that in the case of a person other than a natural person, the amount of the fine imposed may not be more than $25,000.

(b) The commission may not grant a license pursuant to the provisions of this article if there is substantial evidence that the applicant:

(1) Has knowingly made a false statement of a material fact to the commission;

(2) Has been suspended from operating a gambling game, gaming device or gambling operation in another jurisdiction by a board or other governmental authority of that jurisdiction having responsibility for the regulation of gambling or gaming activities;

(3) Has been convicted of a felony, an offense of moral turpitude, a gambling offense, a theft or fraud offense or has otherwise demonstrated, either by a police record or other satisfactory evidence, a lack of respect for law and order;

(4) Has failed to meet any monetary obligation in connection with a gaming facility or any other form of gaming; or

(5) In the case of an applicant for a license to operate a gaming facility or to supply a gaming facility:

(A) Has not demonstrated financial responsibility sufficient to meet adequately the requirements of the enterprise proposed;

(B) Is not the true owner of the enterprise or is not the sole owner and has not disclosed the existence or identity of other persons who have an ownership interest in such enterprise; or

(C) Is a corporation and five percent or more of the stock of the corporation is subject to a contract or option to purchase at any time during the period for which the license is issued unless the contract or option was disclosed to and approved by the commission.

(c) In addition to any other grounds specified in this article, and subject to the hearing provisions of section seventeen of this article, in the case of a license to operate a gaming facility the commission may deny a license to any applicant, reprimand any licensee, or suspend or revoke a license if the applicant or licensee or any controlling person of the applicant or licensee knowingly employs an individual in a senior management position who has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this state, another state, a territory of the United States, or the United States or employs any individual in a senior management position who has had a license relating to the operation of a gaming facility revoked by this state or any other state.

(d) Character references may be required of persons licensed, but the character reference may not be obtained from persons in the same or similar occupations or professions in other states.