PLAYERS NOT HAVING MUCH LUCK LATELY

Losing Interest, Spending Less Money, And Feeling Cheated

Q: These “new” slots nowadays seem so different than the slots from a few years ago! They are so much harder to win anything on. I used to put in $20 at a time and now I have to put in $100 at a time. You can hit the button ten times and not get anything. I wanted to know, who checks these slots and who oversees the casinos to make sure everything is fair? Are the Indian casinos here in Arizona monitored like the ones in Vegas?

Judy Avery Scottsdale, AZ

A: Judy, both the commercial and tribal casinos are heavily regulated and closely monitored by several state and national agencies. There are actually three distinct regulatory levels for all tribal gaming operations. First, tribal governments regulate gaming on their reservations with their own commissions. Second, tribes that have compacts with the state (like Arizona does) are regulated by state government agencies (like the Arizona Department of Gaming ADG). Finally, the National Indian Gaming Commission and Federal Government agencies such as the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Treasury Department, and the Department of the Interior, also play significant roles in the oversight of tribal gaming. Then, of course, there are also agencies like the FBI, IRS, the U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshalls, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs; all of whom have some level of regulatory involvement.

The ADG Machine Compliance Technicians randomly inspect gaming devices at all of Arizona’s casinos on a regular basis. Their visits are unannounced and they are usually able to do spot checks at 8 to 10 casinos every month! The ADG technicians announce their visit to the Tribal Gaming Office first and then a Tribal Gaming Agent, a Casino Slot Technician, and a Casino Security Officer accompany the Machine Compliance Technicians around the casino during the inspection. A typical spot check may consist of up to 50 different slot games. While there, the ADG technicians open the slots, enter the setup menus and verify the percentages and the software. Then, they perform communication tests with the accounting system and run bills and tickets through the acceptors. They also make sure to check that all the accounting meters (credits in, credits out, credits played, etc.) are working correctly.

Q: I was putting a $100 bill in a slot machine and 5 minutes t outrageous, usually in the $2 to $3 range. I was bringing several hundreds of dollars for each casino trip and I was going once a week or once every s my luck or if the casinos have done something and changed their slot games because zine for several years, even the Table Games columns because ve never played any of the games. So, I finally decided to try some other casino games. m playing Blackjack now and loving it! The past few times I ve been able to play with $50 and walk away even

Tucson, AZ

A: Mia, thank you very much for your comment and for being our reader. We appreciate you very much. We’re so happy that you are enjoying the game of Blackjack. With a house edge at 2%, and even lower using basic strategy, it’s a game that will definitely give you some play time without putting a dent in your wallet. And, did you know that a player will get dealt a Blackjack hand of 21 about once in every 21 hands (a very cool coincidence)? Have fun playing Blackjack and good luck!

Q: The companies that make the slots need to stop making them so ridiculous or people are going to seriously lose interest and stop going to the casinos! It’s insane how difficult it is to win now. Nobody wants to just be beaten over the head.

Tina Witkowski Lake Havasu City, AZ

A: Tina, we wholeheartedly agree! The volatility is absurd! $