Our Code of Conduct
Introduction
This Code of Conduct and Ethics covers a wide
range of business practices and procedures. It does not cover every
issue that may arise, but it sets out basic principles to guide
the directors, officers, and employees of the Company. All Company
directors, officers, and employees should conduct themselves accordingly
and seek to avoid even the appearance of improper behavior in any
way relating to the Company. In appropriate circumstances, this
Code should also be provided to and followed by the Company’s
agents and representatives, including consultants.
Any director or officer who has any questions
about this Code should consult with the General Counsel. If an employee
has any questions about this Code, the employee should ask his or
her supervisor how to handle the situation.
1. Scope of Code.
This Code is intended to deter wrongdoing and
to promote the following:
- Honest and ethical conduct, including the
ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between
personal and professional relationships;
- Full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable
disclosure in reports and documents the Company files with, or
submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
and in other communications made by the Company;
- Compliance with applicable governmental laws,
rules, and regulations;
- The prompt internal reporting of violations
of this Code to the appropriate person or persons identified in
this Code;
- Accountability for adherence to this Code;
and
- Adherence to a high standard of business
ethics.
2. Compliance with Laws, Rules, and
Regulations
Obeying the law, both in letter and in spirit,
is the foundation on which the Company’s ethical standards
are built. All directors, officers, and employees should respect
and obey all laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the business
and operations of the Company. Although directors, officers, and
employees are not expected to know all of the details of these laws,
rules, and regulations, it is important to know enough to determine
when to seek advice from supervisors, managers, officers or other
appropriate Company personnel.
3. Conflicts of Interest
A “conflict of interest” exists
when an individual’s private interest interferes in any way
– or even appears to conflict – with the interests of
the Company. A conflict of interest situation can arise when a director,
officer, or employee takes actions or has interests that may make
it difficult to perform his or her work on behalf of the Company
in an objective and effective manner. Conflicts of interest may
also arise when a director, officer, or employee, or a member of
his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result
of his or her position with the Company. Loans to, or guarantees
of obligations of, employees and their family members may create
conflicts of interest.
Service to the Company should never be subordinated
to personal gain and advantage. Conflicts of interest, whenever
possible, should be avoided. In particular, clear conflict of interest
situations involving directors, officers, and employees who occupy
supervisory positions or who have discretionary authority in dealing
with any third party may include the following:
- Any significant ownership interest in any
supplier or customer;
- Any consulting or employment relationship
with any customer, supplier, or competitor;
- Any outside business activity that detracts
from an individual’s ability to devote appropriate time
and attention to his or her responsibilities to the Company;
- The receipt of non-nominal gifts or excessive
entertainment from any organization with which the Company has
current or prospective business dealings;
- Being in the position of supervising, reviewing,
or having any influence on the job evaluation, pay, or benefit
of any family member; and
- Selling anything to the Company or buying
anything from the Company, except on the same terms and conditions
as comparable directors, officers, or employees are permitted
to so purchase or sell.
It is almost always a conflict of interest for
a Company officer or employee to work simultaneously for a competitor,
customer, or supplier. No officer or employee may work for a competitor
as a consultant or board member. The best policy is to avoid any
direct or indirect business connection with the Company's customers,
suppliers, and competitors, except on the Company's behalf.
Conflicts of interest are prohibited as a matter
of Company policy, except when approved by the Board of Directors
after full and complete disclosure of the circumstances. Conflicts
of interest may not always be clear-cut and further review and discussions
may be appropriate. Any director or officer who becomes aware of
a conflict or potential conflict should bring it to the attention
of the General Counsel. Any employee who becomes aware of a conflict
or potential conflict should bring it to the attention of a supervisor,
manager, or other appropriate personnel.
4. Insider Trading
Directors, officers, and employees who have
access to confidential information relating to the Company are not
permitted to use or share that information for stock trading purposes
or for any other purpose except the conduct of the Company's business.
All non-public information about the Company should be considered
confidential information. To use non-public information for personal
financial benefit or to “tip” others who might make
an investment decision on the basis of this information is not only
unethical and against Company policy but is also illegal. Directors,
officers, and employees also should comply with insider trading
standards and procedures adopted by the Company. If a question arises,
the director, officer, or employee should consult with the Company’s
General Counsel.
5. Corporate Opportunities
Directors, officers, and employees are prohibited
from taking for themselves personally or directing to a third party
any opportunity that is discovered through the use of corporate
property, information, or position without the consent of the Board
of Directors. No director, officer, or employee may use corporate
property, information, or position for improper personal gain, and
no director, officer, or employee may compete with the Company directly
or indirectly. Directors, officers, and employees owe a duty to
the Company to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity
to do so arises.
6. Competition and Fair Dealing
The Company seeks to compete in a fair and honest
manner. The Company seeks competitive advantages through superior
performance rather than through unethical or illegal business practices.
Stealing proprietary information, possessing trade secret information
that was obtained without the owner’s consent, or inducing
such disclosures by past or present employees of other companies
is prohibited. Each director, officer, and employee should endeavor
to respect the rights of and deal fairly with the Company’s
customers, suppliers, service providers, competitors, and employees.
No director, officer, or employee should take unfair advantage of
anyone relating to the Company’s business or operations through
manipulation, concealment, or abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation
of material facts, or any unfair dealing practice.
To maintain the Company’s valuable reputation,
compliance with the Company's quality processes and compliance requirements
is essential. In the context of ethics, quality requires that the
Company's products and services meet reasonable customer expectations.
Because the Company operates in a highly regulated industry, compliance
with all regulatory requirements is essential. Every director, officer
and employee, when called upon, shall provide full and complete
information, documentation and cooperation to any gaming or other
regulatory agency. Any questions concerning the nature and propriety
of a request for information or documents should be directed to
the General Counsel.
The purpose of business entertainment and gifts
in a commercial setting is to create good will and sound working
relationships, not to gain unfair advantage with customers. No gift
or entertainment should ever be offered, given, provided, or accepted
by a director, officer, or employee, family member of a director,
officer, or employee, or agent relating to the individual’s
position with the Company unless it (1) is no more than a nominal
cash gift, (2) is consistent with customary business practices,
(3) is not excessive in value, (4) cannot be construed as a bribe
or payoff, and (5) does not violate any laws or regulations. A director
or officer should discuss with the General Counsel or Chief Financial
Officer, and a employee should discuss with his or her supervisor,
any gifts or proposed gifts that the individual is not certain are
appropriate.
7. Discrimination and Harassment
The diversity of the Company’s employees
is a tremendous asset. The Company is firmly committed to providing
equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate
any illegal discrimination or harassment or any kind. Examples include
derogatory comments based on racial or ethnic characteristics and
unwelcome sexual advances.
8. Health and Safety
The Company strives to provide each employee
with a safe and healthful work environment. Each officer and employee
has responsibility for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace
for all employees by following safety and health rules and practices
and reporting accidents, injuries, and unsafe equipment, practices,
or conditions.
Violence and threatening behavior are not permitted.
Officers and employees should report to work in a condition to perform
their duties, free from the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol.
The use of illegal drugs in the workplace will not be tolerated.
9. Record-Keeping
The Company requires honest and accurate recording
and reporting of information in order to make responsible business
decisions.
Many officers and employees regularly use business
expense accounts, which must be documented and recorded accurately.
If an officer or employee is not sure whether a certain expense
is legitimate, the employee should ask his or her supervisor or
the Company's Chief Financial Officer or his designee. Rules and
guidelines are available from the Accounting Department.
All of the Company’s books, records, accounts,
and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail,
must appropriately reflect the Company’s transactions, and
must conform both to applicable legal requirements and to the Company’s
system of internal controls. Unrecorded or “off the books”
funds or assets should not be maintained unless permitted by applicable
law or regulation.
Business records and communications often become
public, and the Company and its officers and employees in their
capacity with the Company should avoid exaggeration, derogatory
remarks, guesswork, or inappropriate characterizations of people
and companies that can be misunderstood. This applies equally to
e-mail, internal memos, and formal reports. The Company’s
records should always be retained or destroyed according to the
Company’s record retention policies. In accordance with those
policies, in the event of litigation or governmental investigation,
directors, officers, and employees should consult with the Company’s
Chief Financial Officer or legal counsel before taking any action
because it is critical that any impropriety or possible appearance
of impropriety be avoided.
10. Confidentiality
Directors, officers, and employees must maintain
the confidentiality of confidential information entrusted to them
by the Company or its customers, suppliers, joint venture partners,
or others with whom the Company is considering a business or other
transaction except when disclosure is authorized by an executive
officer or required or mandated by laws or regulations. Confidential
information includes all non-public information that might be useful
or helpful to competitors or harmful to the Company or its customers
and suppliers, if disclosed. It also includes information that suppliers
and customers have entrusted to the Company. The obligation to preserve
confidential information continues even after employment ends.
11. Protection and Proper Use of Company
Assets
All directors, officers, and employees should
endeavor to protect the Company’s assets and ensure their
efficient use. Theft, carelessness, and waste have a direct impact
on the Company’s profitability. Any suspected incident of
fraud or theft should be immediately reported for investigation.
Company assets should be used for legitimate business purposes and
should not be used for non-Company business.
The obligation to protect the Company’s
assets includes its proprietary information. Proprietary information
includes intellectual property, such as trade secrets, patents,
trademarks, and copyrights, as well as business, marketing and service
plans, engineering and manufacturing ideas, designs, databases,
records, salary information, and any unpublished financial data
and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information
would violate Company policy. It could also be illegal and result
in civil or even criminal penalties.
12. Payments to Government Personnel
The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits
giving anything of value, directly or indirectly, to officials of
foreign governments or foreign political candidates in order to
obtain or retain business. It is strictly prohibited to make illegal
payments to government officials of any country.
In addition, the U.S. government has a number
of laws and regulations regarding business gratuities that may be
accepted by U.S. government personnel. The promise, offer, or delivery
to an official or employee of the U.S. government of a gift, favor,
or other gratuity in violation of these rules would not only violate
Company policy but could also be a criminal offense. State and local
governments, as well as foreign governments, may have similar rules.
13. Corporate Disclosures
All directors, officers, and employees should
support the Company’s goal to have full, fair, accurate, timely,
and understandable disclosure in the periodic reports required to
be filed by the Company with the SEC. Although most employees hold
positions that are far removed from the Company’s required
filings with the SEC, each director, officer, and employee should
promptly bring to the attention of the Chief Executive Officer,
the Chief Financial Officer, or the Audit Committee, as appropriate
in the circumstances, any of the following:
- Any material information to which such individual
may become aware that affects the disclosures made by the Company
in its public filings or would otherwise assist the Chief Executive
Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Audit Committee
in fulfilling their responsibilities with respect to such public
filings.
- Any information the individual may have concerning
(a) significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
controls that could adversely affect the Company's ability to
record, process, summarize, and report financial data or (b) any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in the Company's financial
reporting, disclosures, or internal controls.
- Any information the individual may have concerning
any violation of this Code, including any actual or apparent conflicts
of interest between personal and professional relationships, involving
any management or other employees who have a significant role
in the Company's financial reporting, disclosures, or internal
controls.
- Any information the individual may have concerning
evidence of a material violation of the securities or other laws,
rules, or regulations applicable to the Company and the operation
of its business, by the Company or any agent thereof, or of violation
of this Code.
14. Waivers of the Code of Conduct
Any waiver of this Code for directors or executive
officers may be made only by the Board of Directors or a committee
of the Board and will be promptly disclosed to stockholders as required
by applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including the rules
of the SEC and American Stock Exchange. Any such waiver also must
be disclosed in a Form 8-K.
15. Publicly Available
This Code shall be posted on the Company’s
website.
16. Reporting any Illegal or Unethical
Behavior
Directors and officers are encouraged to talk
to the Chief Financial Officer, or legal counsel, and employees
are encouraged to talk to supervisors, managers, or other appropriate
personnel, when in doubt about the best course of action in a particular
situation. Directors, officers, and employees should report any
observed illegal or unethical behavior and any perceived violations
of laws, rules, regulations, or this Code to appropriate personnel.
It is the policy of the Company not to allow retaliation for reports
of misconduct by others made in good faith. Directors, officers,
and employees are expected to cooperate in internal investigations
of misconduct.
17. Enforcement
The Board of Directors shall determine, or designate
appropriate persons to determine, appropriate actions to be taken
in the event of violations of this Code. Such actions shall be reasonably
designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote accountability for adherence
to this Code and to these additional procedures, and may include
written notices to the individual involved that the Board has determined
that there has been a violation, censure by the Board, demotion
or re-assignment of the individual involved, suspension with or
without pay or benefits (as determined by the Board), and termination
of the individual's employment or position. In determining the appropriate
action in a particular case, the Board of Directors or such designee
shall take into account all relevant information, including the
nature and severity of the violation, whether the violation was
a single occurrence or repeated occurrences, whether the violation
appears to have been intentional or inadvertent, whether the individual
in question had been advised prior to the violation as to the proper
course of action, and whether or not the individual in question
had committed other violations in the past. |