# 543.15 What are the minimum internal control standards for lines of credit?
(a) *Supervision.* Supervision must be provided as needed for lines of credit by an agent(s) with authority equal to or greater than those being supervised.
(b) *Establishment of lines of credit policy.* (1) If a gaming operation extends lines of credit, controls must be established and procedures implemented to safeguard the assets of the gaming operation. Such controls must include a lines of credit policy including the following:
(i) A process for the patron to apply for, modify, and/or re-establish lines of credit, to include required documentation and credit line limit;
(ii) Authorization levels of credit issuer(s);
(iii) Identification of agents authorized to issue lines of credit;
(iv) A process for verifying an applicant's credit worthiness;
(v) A system for recording patron information, to include:
(A) Name, current address, and signature;
(B) Identification credential;
(C) Authorized credit line limit;
(D) Documented approval by an agent authorized to approve credit line limits;
(E) Date, time and amount of credit issuances and payments; and
(F) Amount of available credit.
(vi) A process for issuing lines of credit to:
(A) Verify the patron's identity;
(B) Notify the patron of the lines of credit terms, including obtaining patron's written acknowledgment of the terms by signature;
(C) Complete a uniquely identified, multi-part, lines of credit issuance form, such as a marker or counter check, which includes the terms of the lines of credit transaction;
(D) Obtain required signatures;
(E) Determine the amount of the patron's available lines of credit;
(F) Update the credit balance record at the time of each transaction to ensure that lines of credit issued are within the established limit and balance for that patron; and
(G) Require the agent issuing the lines of credit to be independent of the agent who authorized the lines of credit.
(vii) A policy establishing credit line limit exceptions to include the following:
(A) Identification of the agent(s) authorized to permit a credit line limit to be exceeded;
(B) Authorization thresholds; and
(C) Required documentation.
(viii) A policy governing increases and decreases to a patron's lines of credit account balances to include the following:
(A) Documentation and record keeping requirements;
(B) Independence between the department that receives the payment and the department that maintains custody of the credit balance for payments made by mail;
(C) Collections;
(D) Periodic audits and confirmation of balances; and
(E) If a collection agency is used, a process to ensure documentation of increases and decreases to the lines of credit account balances.
(ix) A policy governing write-offs and settlements to include:
(A) Identification of agent(s) authorized to approve write-offs and settlements;
(B) Authorization levels for write-offs and settlements of lines of credit instruments;
(C) Required documentation for write-offs and settlements;
(D) Independence between the agent who established the lines of credit and the agent writing off or settling the lines of credit instrument; and
(E) Necessary documentation for the approval of write-offs and settlements and transmittal to the appropriate department for recording and deductibility.
(c) *Variances.* The operation must establish, as approved by the TGRA, the threshold level at which a variance must be reviewed to determine the cause. Any such review must be documented.