(a) A master wagering licensee, if licensed to operate online casino gaming pursuant to § 12-852, shall pay to the state for deposit in the General Fund: (1) Eighteen per cent of the gross gaming revenue from online casino gaming authorized under § 12-852 during the five-year period after the first issuance of a license for such gaming under § 12-852, or (2) twenty per cent of the gross gaming revenue from online casino gaming authorized under § 12-852 during the sixth and any succeeding year after the first issuance of a license for such gaming under § 12-852. Each such licensee shall commence payments under this subsection not later than the fifteenth day of the month following the month such licensee began the operation of online casino gaming under § 12-852, and shall make payments not later than the fifteenth day of each succeeding month, while such online casino gaming is conducted.

(b) For purposes of this section, “gross gaming revenue” means the total of all sums actually received by each such licensee from online casino gaming less the total of all sums paid as winnings to online casino gaming patrons and any federal excise tax applicable to such sums received, provided:

(1) The total of all sums paid as winnings to such patrons shall not include the cash equivalent value of any merchandise or thing of value included in a jackpot or payout; and

(2) Coupons or credits that are issued to patrons for the sole purpose of playing online casino games and are linked to online casino gaming in a documented way as part of a promotional program and actually played by the patrons shall not be included in the calculation of gross gaming revenue from online casino gaming, provided if the aggregate amount of such coupons and credits played during a calendar month (A) exceeds twenty-five per cent of the total amount of gross gaming revenue for that month, for any month during the first year that the operation of online casino gaming is permitted, (B) exceeds twenty per cent of the total amount of gross gaming revenue for that month, for any month during the second year that the operation of online casino gaming is permitted, or (C) exceeds fifteen per cent of the total amount of gross gaming revenue for that month, for any month during the third or succeeding year that the operation of online casino gaming is permitted, then the applicable excess amount of coupons or credits used in such calendar month shall be included in the calculation of gross gaming revenue. For the purpose of this subdivision, the year of operation of online casino gaming shall be measured from the date that the first master wagering license is issued pursuant to § 12-852 or the date that regulations, including, but not limited to, emergency regulations, are adopted and effective pursuant to § 12-865, whichever is later.