(a) An occupational employee, other than a key employee, of a master wagering licensee or a licensed online gaming operator, online gaming service provider or sports wagering retailer who will be directly or substantially involved in the operation of Internet games or retail sports wagering in a manner impacting the integrity of such gaming or wagering, data security, patron interaction, game or equipment testing or any other aspect of the gaming activity of a licensee that impacts the integrity of gaming, shall obtain an occupational employee license prior to commencing such employment. An occupational employee shall be deemed to be directly or substantially involved in the operation of Internet games or retail sports wagering in a manner impacting the integrity of such gaming or wagering if such employee: (1) Has the capability of affecting the outcome of a wager through deployment of code to production for any critical component of an electronic wagering platform; (2) (A) can deploy code to production, and (B) directly supervises individuals who have the capability of affecting the outcome of Internet games through deployment of code to production for other than read-only access or the equivalent access to any critical component of an electronic wagering platform; or (3) directly manages gaming operations or directly supervises an individual who directly manages gaming operations. For purposes of this subsection, a “critical component” means a component of an electronic wagering platform that records, stores, processes, shares, transmits or receives sensitive information, such as validation numbers and personal identification numbers, or which stores the results or the current state of a participant’s wager for an Internet game.

(b) An occupational employee shall apply for an occupational employee license on a form and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. Such license shall be renewed annually. The initial license application fee for an occupational employee licensee shall be fifty dollars and the annual renewal fee shall be fifty dollars. The initial license application fee shall be waived for any occupational employee who holds an active occupational gaming license issued by the department.

(c) The department shall transfer any licensing fee collected pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for an occupational employee of the holder of a master wagering license under § 12-852, or of an online gaming operator or an online gaming service provider that is affiliated with such a holder of a master wagering license, to the State Sports Wagering and Online Gaming Regulatory Fund established under § 12-869.