§29-22D-5. Licenses required.

(a) The commission shall not grant a license required under this article to any applicant until the commission has published the notice in the State Register, as required by §29-22D-15(f) of this code.

(b) No person may engage in any activity in connection with West Virginia Lottery sports wagering in this state unless all necessary licenses have been obtained in accordance with this article and rules of the commission. Four types of licenses: (1) Operator; (2) supplier; (3) management services provider; and (4) occupational—are issued pursuant to this article, and no person or entity may engage in any sports wagering operation or activity without first obtaining the appropriate license.

(c) The commission may not grant a license until it determines that each person who has control of the applicant meets all qualifications for licensure. The following persons are considered to have control of an applicant:

(1) Each person associated with a corporate applicant, including any corporate holding company, parent company, or subsidiary company of the applicant who has the ability to control the activities of the corporate applicant or elect a majority of the board of directors of that corporation; this does not include any bank or other licensed lending institution which holds a mortgage or other lien acquired in the ordinary course of business;

(2) Each person associated with a non-corporate applicant who directly or indirectly holds a beneficial or proprietary interest in the applicant’s business operation, or who the commission otherwise determines has the ability to control the applicant; and

(3) Key personnel of an applicant, including any executive, employee, or agent, having the power to exercise significant influence over decisions concerning any part of the applicant’s business operation.

(d) License application requirements. — All applicants for any license issued under this article shall submit an application to the commission in the form the commission requires and submit fingerprints for a national criminal records check by the Criminal Identification Bureau of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The fingerprints shall be furnished by all persons required to be named in the application and shall be accompanied by a signed authorization for the release of information by the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The commission may require additional background checks on licensees when they apply for annual license renewal, and any applicant convicted of any disqualifying offense shall not be licensed.

(e) Each sports wagering licensee, licensed supplier, or a licensed management services provider shall display the license conspicuously in its place of business or have the license available for inspection by any agent of the commission or any law-enforcement agency.

(f) Each holder of an occupational license shall carry the license and have some indicia of licensure prominently displayed on his or her person when present in a licensed gaming facility at all times, in accordance with the rules of the commission.

(g) Each person licensed under this article shall give the commission written notice within 30 days of any change to any information provided in the licensee’s application for a license or renewal.

(h) No commission employee may be an applicant for any license issued under this article nor may any employee of any such licensee directly or indirectly hold an ownership or a financial interest in any West Virginia Lottery sports wagering license.