arizona gaming guide magazine september 2011
DESCRIPTION
Hints, Tips, And Advice On Your Favorite Casino Games! A Monthly Publication Created By Slot Machine Game Designers. The Arizona Gaming Guide is a free monthly magazine for people who enjoy visiting casinos and playing casino games. Packed with in-depth features, advice, hints, tips, secrets, and so much more!TRANSCRIPT
Contents
04 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s on our mind
06 PLAYERS TALK What’s on your mind
27 ENTERTAINMENT Editor’s Picks
28 FUN & GAMES Sudoku & Riddles to keep your mind sharp
29 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Rants, raves & reflections
30 CASINO SPONSOR DIRECTORY
REGULAR RESPINS
22 FREE GAMES BONUSES What does “Bonus Reels In Play” really mean?
23 CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL GAMING ADG seizes 70 illegal “coin pusher” gambling devices.
24 CASINO BUZZ The excitement never stops at Fort McDowell Casino!
FAST FACTS
18 PAYBACK PERCENTAGES Little known secrets about payback percentages.
20 PLAYING SMART Which is the better bet: Video or Live Keno? How much money should you bring to the casino?
WINNING WAYS
08 COLOSSAL GAMING’S BULL’S EYE™ A little company makes a big splash in Arizona.
10 IGT’S THE HANGOVER™ They’re no longer exclusive to Total Rewards Casinos.
12 WMS’ STAR TREK™ BATTLESTATIONS Available only at Cocopah Casino in Yuma, Arizona!
GREAT GAMES
SEPTEMBER
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 03
1010 WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com, and IGT. © Copyright IGT. All Rights Reserved. www.igt.com.
Slot machine images courtesy of Colossal Gaming. © Copyright Colossal Gaming. All Rights Reserved. www.colossalgaming.com,
1212
88
2020
FEATURES
14 VIP CORNER Meet AIGA Acting Executive Director Valerie Spicer.
16 THE REEL DEAL ABOUT CLASS II SLOTS How are they different from CLASS III slots?
VOLUME 03 • ISSUE 02
PUBLISHER
Chris Hoft
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Torma
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Alexandra Lang
ART DIRECTOR
Melanie Mueller
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mark Novak
Alex Stewart
Samantha Becker
Lana Hartmann
Elizabeth Torma
ADVERTISING SALES
Nina Consiglio
Alex Stewart
MAILING INFORMATION
Arizona Gaming Guide
P.O. Box 20636
Mesa, Arizona 85277
INTERNET INFORMATION
www.azgamingguide.com
www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide
Copyright © 2011 The Arizona Gaming Guide.
All rights reserved.
The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and
gaming related facts as well as personal opinions and expects the
reader to make his or her own decisions. All responses to reader e-
mails and letters are to be considered as advice only. AGG accepts
no responsibility and no liability for any actions of our readers
based on the articles and advertisements presented within this
publication. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks and trade
names, etc. are the sole property of their respective owners. You
must be 21 or older to gamble. Please play responsibly. Help is
available at 1.800.NEXT.STEP or www.problemgambling.az.gov.
EDITOR’S NOTE
04 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Your Authority On Everything Gaming
Indian Gaming Benefits Arizona!
We are always very excited to introduce our readers to leaders of the
Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA). In this month’s issue we
present Valerie Spicer, the Acting Director of the AIGA, who brings a
tremendous amount of experience and dedication to the organization.
She is committed to upholding the mission of the association to protect
and promote the general welfare of tribes so they can achieve their
goal of self-reliance. Supporting tribal gaming enterprises is an im-
portant part of the AIGA’s mission. Tribal gaming revenue has not
only advanced the lives of the Indian people economically, socially,
and politically, but it has also been a trusted, proven and significant
source of revenue for the State of Arizona! Since 2004, tribal gaming
has contributed more than $480,000,000 to the Arizona Benefits Fund
and $47,000,000 to various Arizona cities, towns, and counties. These
funds have a direct and lasting impact that is helping meet the needs
of all us Arizonans.
Please visit us at: www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide, become
part of our community and share your thoughts and experiences with
others who also love the same casino games you do. Don’t forget that
you can also find the current and back issues of the Arizona Gaming
Guide on our website at www.azgamingguide.com. For your conven-
ience, we have included the QR codes for both web addresses in our
directory. Let me know what you think of our September issue and
have fun!
Cheers!
Alexandra Lang
Editor-in-Chief
Alexandra
PLAYERS TALK Q&A On Everything Gaming
06 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
ASK THE EXPERTS and get a $25 gas card if we decide to print your question! Do you have a question for our staff of casino gaming industry professionals and slot experts? Write us with your questions
and comments in any area of gaming and we will make every attempt to publish a response in upcoming issues. Space is
limited so we are unable to print every letter or e-mail we receive. Please include your name and mailing address with all
correspondence. Mail to: Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277 or E-mail to: [email protected].
Q: SLOT PAYBACK PERCENTAGES
I recently picked up one of your issues at Cliff Castle
Casino. I’ve got a slot machine in my home and after
reading the instructions it says that the payouts are ad-
justable by resetting a certain switch. My question is: If
I can adjust my machine for more or less payouts can
the casinos also set their machines the same way and do
they? Is there a way to get your magazine mailed to me
each month? I do plan on reading your magazine each
month from now on either by getting an issue or online.
Thank you.
D. Malnati – Wickenburg, AZ
A: D. Malnati, the answer to your first question regarding slot
machine payouts is YES! Just like you, the casinos can set their
machines to various different payback settings. However, before
casinos change the settings on their games they must notify the
Arizona Department of Gaming and document the changes. A
request for a change must be submitted to the Department 30
days in advance and inspectors need to come out and verify the
new settings. Employees from the casino, the Tribal Gaming
Agency, and the Arizona Department of Gaming all need to be
present when changes to the games are made. It’s just not as
easy as many people believe for a casino to ‚tighten‛ or
‚loosen‛ their games. A strict process needs to be adhered to
and several people from various different departments need to
be involved. This is why many casinos don’t change their
settings after the initial percentages have been chosen when the
games are first installed!
To answer your second question, you can read and enjoy our
publication in several different ways!
1. As you know, you can pick up free physical copies of our
magazines in casinos all across Arizona as well as many non-
gaming establishments. E-mail [email protected] for
the location nearest you!
2. You can subscribe to our publication online for free at:
www.issuu.com/ArizonaGamingGuide and you will have our
magazine delivered to your in-box on the first of every month!
3. You can have our publication delivered to your house at
a subscription rate of $35 for one year of 12 issues. If you elect
this option, please send a check or money order to: Arizona
Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, Arizona 85277.
To get sneak peeks of upcoming articles and be the first to know
about new game installations and much more, join our Face-
book community at: www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide!
Q: CASINO SAFETY
How safe are we at the casinos? I see the security guards
at the door, but I don’t see many of them walking
around. Women are always leaving their purses in be-
tween the slots and I don’t think that’s safe. Do you
know if there’s a lot of crime at the casinos?
Camille Ramos – Phoenix, AZ
A: Camille, one of my favorite movies is ‚Casino‛ where Robert
de Niro plays the casino manager. His narration about casino
security is fantastic when he says, ‚The dealers are watching
the players. The pit bosses are watching the dealers. The shift
bosses are watching the pit bosses. The floor manager is watch-
ing the shift bosses. I’m watching the floor manager. And, the
‘eye in the sky’ is watching us all.‛ Honestly, the casino is one
of the safest places to be. However, even though casino security
has our back, it doesn’t mean we should put ourselves in vul-
nerable situations! Casino patrons need to guard their posses-
sions. I would advise everyone not to use the slot trays or the
area between the slot machines for their personal belongings
because they weren’t meant to house such items as cell phones,
keys, wallets, purses, and money!
Q: LIVE ROULETTE
Why don’t we have live Roulette here in Arizona?
Ben Harris – Sierra Vista, AZ
Ben, Roulette (as well as Craps) are two popular casino games
that haven’t been approved here in Arizona—yet! I believe the-
se games will be allowed eventually. However, first the Tribes
and the State would need to expand their current agreement.
The voter-approved Tribal-State Gaming Compact of 2002 cur-
rently only allows electronic versions of these games. If, and
when, a live version of Roulette (and Craps) will be available is
anybody’s bet.
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 07
Q: PROGRESSIVE ODDS
The Fort Knox Progressive Slot and many others that I
have played always have messages on the screen that
say we need to increase our bet to have a better chance
of getting the Progressives. I think that’s a trick to get us
to bet more. I always see people winning the big Pro-
gressives and they’re always betting the minimum. I
was sitting next to a lady that won over $6,000 and she
was only betting $1.25 which was the lowest bet. I’ve
bet $2.50 and even more than that and I’ve seen other
people bet big amounts and only get the Copper level.
So, how does that work?
Barbara Schultz – Chandler, AZ
Barbara, certain slot machines connected to randomly awarded
Progressives (like Fort Knox) are set up in such a way that en-
courage slot players to play max bet to increase their odds of
hitting a Progressive. The more a player bets, the better his or
her chances are of getting into the Progressive Bonus. However,
once a Progressive has been triggered there are no guarantees
which Progressive level will be hit. The player betting the most
at the bank has the best chances of getting in, but his or her luck
is what will determine which Progressive level will be awarded.
The Fort Knox Progressive Bonus is a ‚fair‛ game. In other
words, the values you see after you’ve picked the safes are the
actual values. For those who consistently find the highest val-
ues during all the picks will make it to the top levels and be
awarded the Gold and Platinum levels. Those who aren’t so
lucky with their picks will be awarded the lowest Copper and
Silver levels.
Just so you know, it really is possible to increase your chances
of being the player at the bank who is selected for the Fort Knox
Progressive Bonus. The best way I can think to describe this
situation is by using a simplified example of a bag filled with
colored balls. Assume each Fort Knox slot machine is assigned
a different colored ball and the number of balls associated with
each machine depends on the player’s bet level. In other words,
bet per line 1 ($1.25) gets one ball, bet per line 2 ($2.50) gets
two balls, all the way up to bet per line 10 ($12.50) which gets
ten balls. Let’s say there are 4 players: Player 1 is betting $1.25
and has one white ball in the bag, player 2 is also betting $1.25
and has one green ball in the bag, player 3 is betting $2.50 and
has two yellow balls as a result, and player 4 is betting the max
and gets ten red balls! Now, there’s a bag of fourteen balls (ten
of which belong to player 4). When the Progressive Controller
randomly picks one colored ball from the bag, which player do
you think is going to have the best chance of being selected? $
Q&A On Everything Gaming PLAYERS TALK
know you won’t overlook these slots on a casino
floor! You simply can’t! Each slot is over eight feet tall
and uses a huge 42” touch screen monitor for the game
display. Colossal Gaming makes excellent use of their
giant screen from top to bottom and side to side. The
symbols are big, easy to see, and the main game infor-
mation is clearly located and read in the bottom area of
the monitor. Players have instant access to a volume con-
trol, the help screen, and a button to switch denomina-
tions. With the lower half of the monitor devoted to the
reels and information, each of Colossal Gaming’s slots
make excellent use of the rest of the screen where the bo-
nus games are presented. In most cases, players are track-
ing their progress towards a bonus on the top section of
the monitor while playing the base game. This is truly a
unique interface that must be experienced by all slot en-
thusiasts. You’ll get a different feeling while playing this
slot in contrast to games made by other companies that
you are more familiar with.
While these innovations come as no surprise to our staff,
you may be interested to learn that Colossal Gaming was
formed in 2003 by gaming veterans from a company
called Casino Data Systems. Back in the early 2000’s the
founding members of Colossal were designing slots and
also working on what was to become an extremely popu-
lar accounting and player tracking system called Oasis.
Aristocrat bought out Casino Data Systems and is contin-
uing to market the Oasis product to the gaming industry
as Oasis 360TM. Many of you have probably inserted your
player’s card into a device connected to this system right
here in Arizona!
08 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
COLOSSAL
GAMING
Their Giant Slots Are
Marching From California
Into Arizona’s Casinos!
Slot machine images courtesy of Colossal Gaming. © Copyright Colossal Gaming. All Rights Reserved. www.colossalgaming.com.
I
GREAT GAMES New Slots
By Mark Novak
New Slots GREAT GAMES
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 09
Having started over as Colossal Gaming in California, the
company has experienced tremendous growth in the past
few years! Initially, their slots were only available for
play throughout California casinos, but now the company
has expanded their gaming operations into Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Alabama, Michigan, and Arizona! Hopeful-
ly, we’ll be seeing more and more slots from these experi-
enced game designers as they introduce their products all
across the country.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out these slots, we
highly recommend you do so at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino
in Payson or at either Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson
and in Sahuarita. Originally there were only a total of
twelve slots in the entire state. Now, just a few months
later, there are almost twice as many. This is not an easy
feat to accomplish for a small, young company! The major
slot manufacturers have such a huge selection of games
and products to choose from that the “little guys” have a
difficult time making their way onto the casino floors.
Bull’s EyeTM is a 30 line penny game featuring stacked
top symbols, a wild, and a credit based bonus game
played on a dartboard located above the reels. All it
takes is three bonus symbols, scattered anywhere across
the reels, to have the game award prizes from 3 to 1000
times your total bet. One dart per bonus symbol is
launched at the board each time you enter the bonus.
This means the smallest bonus win with three bonus
symbols (three darts) is nine times your total bet. Based
on our game play sessions, this slot feels more like the
games that were designed five to ten years ago. The ex-
perience is definitely less volatile than most newer slots.
In order to fully experience the game, $30.00 is the most
appropriate bankroll for one play session at minimum
bet (30 lines = 30 credits = 30 cents). This should guaran-
tee at least one bonus win, possibly two, while you are
playing and allow you to make up your mind about the
game. You’ll find two Bull’s EyeTM slots available for
play at each of the following casinos: Mazatzal Hotel &
Casino, both Desert Diamond Casinos, both Casino del
Sols, and at Gila River Lone Butte Casino.
Two KachingoTM slots are ready for action at each De-
sert Diamond Casino in 5-cents and also at Gila River
Lone Butte in 5-cents with a multi-denomination option.
This single payline slot takes 10 credits as a minimum
wager. At this bet, a bankroll of $50.00 is sufficient to
experience the bonus and the features of the game. The
KachingoTM symbol on the center reel appears frequent-
ly adding marbles to the slots on the bonus board above
the reels. Once a tube fills up, the free spins bonus starts
with the number of games and the multiplier indicated
by the tube just filled! Our insider sources inform us that
this particular slot is set to a loose payback percentage
of over 90%!
On a final note, both Desert Diamond Casinos just in-
stalled brand new Colossal Gaming slots called Suite
SuccessTM so go check them out! Send us an e-mail at
[email protected] with the word “Colossal” in
the subject and tell us what you think of these games! $
GREAT GAMES New Slots
10 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
The Hangover™ Slots, based on the popular hit movie
and created by the slot manufacturer IGT, will be coming
to a casino near you soon! An exclusivity arrangement
between Total Rewards (the player loyalty program of
Caesars Entertainment) and IGT meant that players could
only play the fun, new slot at select Total Rewards casi-
nos for the first 60 days after the launch of the new game.
Now, that exclusivity agreement is over and several casi-
nos throughout Arizona will be installing The Hangover™
Slots for their loyal patrons to enjoy as well. Watch for
these new game installs at Casino Arizona – Salt River
and Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson, Arizona in the
very near future.
In The Hangover™ Slots game, the characters Alan, Phil,
Stu and Doug star in four themed progressive pick bo-
nuses. The first of the four bonuses include the “Stun
Gun” bonus in which players press the button to zap
Alan and build credit values. In the “Wedding Chapel”
bonus, players pick from several boxes to reveal wedded
bliss, mugs, and hats for credit values. During “Mr.
Chow's Freaky Free Games” bonus, players are awarded
free spins with locking wild poker chips and can advance
to the “Deal in the Desert” bonus with a chance to reveal
the correct Doug for extra winnings. Additionally, in the
“Villa” bonus, players pick from several icons found in
the hotel room to reveal credits. Base game wilds are
awarded when a police cruiser, an SUV, a tiger paw
swipe, a mattress, or Mr. Chow enters the screen and ran-
domly converts game symbols to wilds. One of the most
entertaining aspects of this game is the voice-over by the
comic actor, Ken Jeong, as Mr. Chow. Fans of “The Hang-
over” movies are sure to find a lot more reasons to love
this new slot machine! $
Image courtesy of IGT. © Copyright IGT. All Rights Reserved. igt.com.
The exclusivity arrangement with
Total Rewards properties is over!
12 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
GREAT GAMES New Slots
he Final Frontier < available right now at Cocopah
Casino in Yuma, Arizona! Cocopah is currently the
only casino in all of Arizona to offer this brand new
slot machine from WMS, for now. You may have already
played the earlier version of WMS’ Star TrekTM slots and
regardless of your past experience, this game is worth a
try.
The bonus is guaranteed to hit every eight minutes, so
that makes every player a definite winner, frequently.
Furthermore, you build your ships during base game
play between bonuses. The game concept is pretty simple;
the more ships you have, the more you can win in the
bonus! While we didn’t experience it ourselves when our
team played the game at the casino, if any of your ships
survive the Klingon fleet’s attack during the bonus round
they are carried over to the next bonus. The game quickly
becomes a battle to get as many ships as possible before
the timer for the next bonus expires. One easy way to ac-
complish this is to simply increase your bet. A higher bet
creates more ships or adds a bigger and better arsenal to
your fleet for the next bonus round battle. We want to
hear your feedback about this slot. Send us an e-mail to:
[email protected] with “Star Trek” in the sub-
ject field and let us know what you think!
By the way, all you non-smokers will be excited to know
that Cocopah Casino now offers “Smoke-free Sunday!”
You got it! Right now, here in Arizona, you can enjoy a
100% non-smoking casino once a week! So what are you
waiting for? Get away for the weekend and visit Cocopah
Casino and let them know we sent you. For more infor-
mation about Cocopah Casino, please visit their website
at: www.cocopahresort.com $
T
By Mark Novak
Slot machine image courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. wms.com.
14 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Arizona Indian Gaming Association
Acting Executive Director
Valerie Spicer
Tribes in Arizona contribute a portion of their Class
III Net Wins to the Arizona Benefits Fund! This
Fund provides revenues for education, trauma and
emergency care, wildlife conservation and economic
development. To date, contributions to the Arizona
Benefits Fund have totaled more than $480,000,000!
Valerie Spicer was recently named Acting Executive Director of the Arizona Indian Gaming
Association (AIGA). Last fall, she was selected for the Deputy Director position from a group
of 80 highly qualified candidates from all over the country because of her accomplishments and
her vision for the future of the AIGA. Learning about all of the endeavors she has worked hard
for in her 27 years of experience in the gaming industry, it is obvious to me why she was elect-
ed to lead the AIGA. I’m very excited to introduce her to all of you.
By Chris Hoft
Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG): You haven't been in
your new position for very long. Have you had a
chance to get settled in yet? What is the first item on
your agenda with the AIGA?
Valerie Spicer (VS): Whenever I approach a new posi-
tion, I think it is very important to get a good under-
standing of where the organization is and how best to
take it to the next level. My predecessor, Sheila Morago,
served in this position for eight years and amassed an
incredible amount of accomplishments through her
ability to communicate and juggle multiple balls in the
air at any given moment. It has been a challenge to not
let those balls drop and, at the same time, to identify
what else AIGA could be doing to build a stronger
presence and awareness within Arizona and all of our
communities. Building this awareness has been my fo-
cus for AIGA.
We recently had a really good outreach with the Uni-
versity Medical Center Trauma Services in Tucson.
They approached us to thank the tribes for their contri-
butions which have made an incredible difference for
their Trauma and Emergency Services. In 2002, when
Prop 202 was crafted, trauma centers were selected as one
of the recipients of the Arizona Benefits Fund because at
the time trauma centers in the state were in danger of be-
ing closed. In addition to trauma and emergency services,
the Arizona Benefits Fund has also provided critical fund-
ing for education, wildlife conservation and tourism. I
plan to reach out to all the recipients of the Arizona Bene-
fits Fund and learn from them how their programs have
been affected by these monies. The Benefits Fund has
made a tremendous impact and we want people to know
what has been achieved with these monies. These funds
are automatically distributed every year and we want to
celebrate the accomplishments and the positive changes
that have been made. I know the tribes will feel very
good about this.
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 15
AGG: How does the AIGA and the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) work together?
VS: We have a very good relationship with the ADG and communicate with each other on a regular basis. It is in all
of our best interests that we work closely together. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 established the founda-
tion for tribal gaming. By any measure, Indian gaming is one of the most regulated businesses in the nation. The cred-
ibility of tribal gaming is based on the ability to operate under strong regulation with checks and balances. At the trib-
al level, we have the tribal gaming agencies, the first line of oversight, then the state, and then the federal govern-
ment. As the technology changes we may have to adjust how we track and regulate gaming, what games we can
offer, how we can offer them, and how to perform certain procedures to ensure the integrity of gaming. We also have
in John McCain, a U.S. Senator who is very keen on regulation and oversight. He knows that Arizona has always been
recognized, on a national level, as being highly regulated and for having a great working relationship with the state
regulatory agency. This is a good thing!
AGG: How closely does the AIGA work with national
organizations such as the National Indian Gaming As-
sociation (NIGA)?
VS: We have two tribal leaders who serve as our repre-
sentatives to NIGA. On a regular basis we travel to Wash-
ington D.C. and participate in their meetings, confer-
ences, or attend hearings. Most recently, NIGA held a
summit on internet gaming, land into trust, and a number
of different topics which are critical to our Indian Coun-
try. We also attended the Indian Affairs Committee hear-
ing and round table on internet gaming. I know that other
regional associations, as well as the national associations,
look to us for input on crafting terminology, legislation,
and our responses to legislation. I think this is a very
good position to be in. The NIGC (National Indian Gam-
ing Commission) has been on a national consultation
schedule and I, on behalf of AIGA, as well as the tribes on
their own, have attended several of these meetings. We
are always mindful of what is happening nationally.
AGG: Indian gaming operations have felt the brunt of
the recession. Luckily, casino revenues have seemed to
be picking up over the last couple of years. Do you be-
lieve that the worst is over?
VS: The last two quarterly gaming reports show an in-
crease, which is great. I think this reflects a few things.
Arizonans have a higher comfort level on spending in the
hopes that our state economy is turning around. Howev-
er, it could also be due to less traveling by Arizonans and
stay at home vacationing. Rising gas prices made it diffi-
cult to go out of state and resulted in people staying
closer to home. The casino gaming industry is not re-
cession-proof. We have felt the domino effect of the
economy. Tribes are governments not just a gaming
corporation and they have been impacted across the
board as well. I believe tribes will experience slow, con-
tinual growth towards a positive future. I watched,
along with everyone else, the recent Debt Ceiling chal-
lenges, the Dow’s plunge, and Europe spiraling. These
are all examples of a ripple effect. Tribes are always
keeping their eye on these kinds of events, just like any
other government. We’re all keeping our fingers
crossed that the worst is over and we’re looking for-
ward to moving upward.
AGG: Is there anything you would like to communi-
cate to our readers?
VS: I would like to remind everyone of the identity of
tribes. A lot of people tend to look at tribes and only see
the gaming. There are so many aspects to each tribe
beyond gaming. The tribal governments have a long
and rich history within the State of Arizona. This histo-
ry is actually accounted for in the textbooks that chil-
dren learn from in school. I want people to remember
more about the tribes and to take the time to become
involved with their culture and history. I think a lot of
this gets lost. The tribes are part of the fabric of this
great State of Arizona. $
For more information on the AIGA, please visit: www.azindiangaming.org.
Thank you to Valerie Spicer for her time and Linda Oosahwe at the AIGA
for facilitating this interview. Special thanks to Martha & Pam at Strategies.
WINNING WAYS Class II vs. Class III Slots
16 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
By Alex Stewart
THE REEL DEAL ABOUT
CLASS II SLOTS
lass II slots are popping up in casinos all over
Arizona and many of you may not even realize
these slot machine games are vastly different
from the Class III games we are all accustomed to play-
ing. Class II games even have their own set of rules and
regulations that are separate from Class III games. You
won’t be able to tell the difference between these two
types of games with a cursory glance, but there are some
very important distinctions between them!
Class II Slots vs. Class III Slots
Visually, it’s very difficult to dis-
tinguish between Class II and
Class III slots. All the same lights,
bells, and whistles that are cus-
tomarily found on Class III slot
machines are also incorporated
into the Class II slots. You even
have the option of playing video
or mechanical versions of these
games! However, the tiny bingo
card located somewhere above the
reel window is the dead giveaway
that you are playing a Class II slot!
The main difference between Class
II and Class III slots is that Class II
slots are connected to one central
computer and all the outcomes are
based on one random number
generator running from the main
computer. Essentially, players are
competing against each other for prizes—which are just
disguised as the winning combinations on the game. For
each new game, there are a finite number of possible win-
ning combinations (and losing combinations) that are
awarded to the players participating in the bingo game at
any particular moment. Imagine playing lottery scratch
tickets. Once a certain combination has occurred, it can-
not occur again until all the scratch tickets have been
used and a new game is started. Therefore, each game on
a Class II slot is dependent on the previous game. Class
III slot games, on the other hand, each have their own
random number generator located inside the individual
slot machines and each game is completely independent.
This is why it’s actually possible to get back-to-back jack-
pots on a Class III slot because all winning and losing
combinations are available to players on every spin.
Are Class II Slots Fair?
The math models behind Class II
games are set up in a slightly
different way than the math mod-
els for the Class III games—that’s
all! There is nothing unfair about
it! The overall payback percentage
of the slot is based on how many
winning and losing combinations
there are in a finite pool of out-
comes. When a bingo game is over,
the central computer picks a player
with a winning bingo and awards
a prize from the “electronic” stack
that includes a finite number of
outcomes. A player doesn’t see
what’s going on behind-the-scenes.
If their bingo card is a winner, then
they will see a winning combina-
tion on the screen in the form of
three red 7s, for example.
Why Even Have Class II Slots?
Class II slots that mimic electronic bingo were originally
invented so that certain jurisdictions that weren’t allowed
to operate Class III games could offer and benefit from
this form of gaming. With so many great Class II game
titles, slot directors in Class III jurisdictions have been
intrigued enough to place them on their slot floors too! $
CC
18 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
WINWIN
tay away from the penny slots and start playing the dollar slots if
you want to increase your chances of winning. Generally, the
higher the denomination is the higher the payback percentage.
Casinos do this to reward players that are willing to place higher bets.
Based on my industry experience, this is a common breakdown of pay-
back percentages by denomination: 1¢ 85-91%, 2¢ 87-91%, 5¢ 88-92%,
10¢ 89-93%, 25¢ 92-95%, $1 93-96%, $2 94-96%, and $5 95-97%.
And, here’s another hint: If you generally play a 30 line penny game at
bet-per-line five for a total bet of $1.50, this is the same as playing a 30
line nickel game at bet-per-line one for the same wager! Playing the ex-
act same slot game in a higher denomination can earn you a few extra
percentage points! Try it and see if you can feel a difference. The other
added advantage you’ll be getting by playing the higher denomination
games is a boost in your players card status. $
SS
By Liz Torma
ave you ever played your favorite slot machines
outside of Arizona and felt as though something
was off? Well, it probably wasn’t your imagina-
tion. According to the gaming regulations established in
Nevada, slot machine paybacks can be set as low as 75%
and this includes Laughlin as well! California doesn’t
even have a minimum! Here in Arizona, our gaming reg-
ulations don’t allow anything below 80%. It kind of
makes you want to play close to home doesn’t it? $
HH
The payback percentages for Video Poker are generally much higher than the payback percentages for Video Keno, but
that doesn’t mean Video Poker is necessarily the better game. Numbers can be deceiving, especially in the case of pay-
back percentages. Sometimes the hit frequency is just as important as the payback percentage of a game! Hit frequency
describes how often various wins occur and how much they return relative to the odds of hitting them. For instance,
when playing straight up Video Keno whose 7-spot pays 7,000 to 1, the odds of hitting this award are about 1 in 40,000
games. Well, guess what? These are the exact same odds for hitting a Royal Flush playing Video Poker! In my opinion,
the 7,000 to 1 payout for catching a 7-spot sure beats the 800 to 1 payout for a Royal Flush! And, the 6 out of 7-spot for a
400 to 1 payout isn’t so shabby either, especially since it happens 1 in every 1,300 games on average! $
WINNING WAYS Payback Percentages
Photo courtesy of IGT. © Copyright IGT. All Rights Reserved. igt.com.
20 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
here are so many factors that you need to
consider when determining your bankroll
for a night out at the casino. What denomi-
nation you plan on playing, what bet level, the
volatility of the games, and how long you’d like
your entertainment experience to last for are just
some important factors you need to take into ac-
count when determining your casino budget.
Let’s assume you can afford to spend $100 for one
trip to the casino. That amount of money should
buy you (on average) one hour of play time on a
penny slot machine game with medium—high
volatility, betting the absolute minimum (assume
it’s 30 cents playing all the lines). Now, as soon as
you start to deviate from any one of those catego-
ries, you need to increase your casino spending
money. For example, playing 60¢ you should bring
$200 for each hour of desired play time, 90¢ you
should bring $300/hour and so on. Of course,
some of the newer slot machines that are much
more volatile may require slightly more money
while the older and less volatile games may re-
quire slightly less. The key is to be realistic, so you
never find yourself in a situation where you’re out
of money and tempted to withdraw more. Know
what kind of player you are, follow these rules
and you will never come out short! $
ive Keno typically has a house edge of around 30%
or more whereas the Video Keno version has a
much lower house edge of around 8%! However,
the speed of play doesn’t necessarily make it the most
preferable choice between the two versions. Assuming
you can squeeze in 15 games in one hour playing Live
Keno at $1 per game, the cost/hour is $5 in the long run
(cost/hour = 15 games/hour x $1 bet/game x 30% house
edge = $4.50/hour). Playing Video Keno at an average
speed, you can play 300 games in one hour. At a cost of
$1 per game, the cost/hour to play Video Keno is $24/
hour (cost/hour = 300 games/hour x $1 bet/game x 8%
house edge = $24/hour).
If you choose to play Video Keno over Live Keno, you
will be choosing the game with the lowest house ad-
vantage. However, the 22% you save will cost you, in the
long run, an extra $19.50/hour because of the speed of
play. Nevertheless, I prefer Video Keno over Live Keno
and to lessen the disadvantages I set the game to the
slowest speed (whenever possible) so I can play less
games per hour and I always keep my eye out for the best
pay schedules. I also never play more than a one coin wa-
ger since all wins are proportional and, of course, I al-
ways use my players card! Good luck and have fun. $
L
By Lana Hartmann
WINNING WAYS Playing Smart
VIDEO or LIVEVIDEO or LIVE
KENO?KENO?
How Much $$$$ Should You Bring
To The Casinos?
T
FAST FACTS Free Game Bonuses
ave you ever felt as though it’s easier (or harder)
to get certain winning combinations during a
free games bonus round? Well, the reel strips
that are used in the base game are not the same reel strips
that are used during the free games, most of the time.
Yes, that’s right! In order to distinguish the bonus reel
strips from the existing reel strips used during base game
play, regulations in several major gaming jurisdictions,
including Arizona, require a visible difference in the sym-
bols if an alternate set of reels is used. In addition, a clear
statement needs to be displayed somewhere on screen, on
the game, and in the help screen, indicating that a change
in reel strips has taken place during the free games. In
fact, in most cases, if you look closely the symbols have
been flipped horizontally and some color change has hap-
pened as well. The reel strip background generally chang-
By Lana Hartmann
HH
22 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
es as well. And, just to be even more obvious, some man-
ufacturers write the word “BONUS” across the reel strips!
This is all done to make sure players understand that a
change has occurred and they don’t feel cheated. Addi-
tionally, with all these modifications to the game there
can be no doubt to a player that they are currently in a
bonus.
Changing the reel strips during the bonus can allow the
mathematician to control the volatility of the game. In
other words, they can increase or decrease the hit fre-
quencies of the individual wins, change your chances of
re-triggering the bonus, affect (on average) how much
each free games will pay, and so on. Next time you play
your favorite slot game, see if you can tell a difference
between the reel strips and what changes were made! $
BONUS REELS IN PLAYBONUS REELS IN PLAY What does that even mean and how does it affect how the game plays?
Slot machine image courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. wms.com.
Gaming News FAST FACTS
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 23
he Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Ari-
zona Department of Gaming recently announced
a joint operation combating the proliferation of
illegal gambling machines. A task force of agents and
investigators from both offices seized more than 70 gam-
bling machines known as Coin-Pushers at 57 metro
Phoenix locations. The Arizona Department of Liquor
and the Arizona Department of Public Safety actively
assisted in the operation as well.
Coin-Pushers are machines into which a player inserts a
coin, usually quarters, in an attempt to have a "pusher" (a
moving part within the machine) push other coins, to-
kens, jewelry, and currency of various denominations off
a shelf and into a collection bin for retrieval. Players are
not guaranteed a return for their money and any return
depends on chance.
Most of the seized Coin-Pushers have been in operation
since January 2010, and public complaints alerted offi-
cials. Affidavits filed in support of search and seizure
warrants have estimated $200,000 in illegal gambling rev-
enue generated by the machines in the past five months.
The affidavits explained that in addition to being illegal
gambling devices, the machines are a fraud because they
contain hidden compartments into which many coins fall
without becoming available to the player, giving a false
impression of the chances of getting more value than the
cost of playing.
"These devices are a fraud on the public," Attorney Gen-
eral Terry Goddard said. "They are built cleverly to de-
ceive the player into thinking that coins or other valua-
bles are about to fall into the collection bin as winnings,
but players can't see how they really work." Distribution,
installation and collection of revenue generated from the
Coin-Pushers are violations of numerous criminal offens-
es that include promotion of gambling, fraud, money
laundering, benefiting from gambling, and possession of
a gambling device. “Protecting our communities from
illegal gambling operations is a priority,” said Mark
Brnovich, director of the Arizona Department of Gaming.
“We take complaints of such activity very seriously.” $
Many thanks to Talia Otto, Rick Medina, the Arizona Department of Gaming, and the Arizona Attorney
General’s Office for this article. For more information on the Arizona Department of Gaming, visit
azgaming.gov. For more information on the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, visit azag.gov. Photos are
courtesy of the Arizona Department of Gaming, © Copyright Arizona Department of Gaming. All rights
reserved.
CRACKDOWN ONCRACKDOWN ON
ILLEGALILLEGAL GAMINGGAMING
T
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne (L.) and Arizona
Department Of Gaming Director Mark Brnovich (R.)
oversee destruction of the Coin-Pushers.
Seized Coin-Pushers being destroyed at
Arizona Recycling Corp.
FAST FACTS Casino Buzz
24 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Fortopoly Picture this classic game of strategy and chance, trans-
formed, Fort McDowell style. Introducing Fortopoly, a
spinning whirlwind of chances to win big. Exciting
prizes including the grand prize drawing where two
lucky winners will take home a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta,
daily drawings like the Bag of Chance and bonus spins
on the giant Fortopoly game board, are sure to leave
people wanting more! And you’re in luck, because
Fortopoly runs through September 26, 2011. Don’t lose
your turn to witness the Grand Prize car drawing Sep-
tember 26th at 8pm. Daily drawings are Fridays, Satur-
days, Sundays and Mondays, 1pm, 5pm and 8pm, so
you’ll have plenty of chances to make your move.
Fort McDowell CasinoFort McDowell Casino Where there is something for everyone!
Lunar Bingo The Fort McDowell
Casino, known for
the Valley’s largest
cash payouts, offers
the newest late-
night trend for all
Bingo enthusiasts –
Lunar Bingo. An exciting and original twist on the tra-
ditional game, it combines black lights, cocktails, loud
music and giveaways, making for a Bingo experience
unlike any other. Many people are finding themselves
becoming “Lunartics,” and you could be next. So grab
your friends, a few glow necklaces, and get ready to
have some serious late-night fun. This year, Lunar Bin-
go will take place on the 3rd Saturday of every month
starting at midnight.
Karaoke
Showcase your singing talent and get a taste of the spotlight
this year as Fort McDowell presents Karaoke with Attitude.
Don’t miss your chance to compete and win cash and/or
Crown Credits in this exciting elimination, multiple round,
karaoke event. Choose your favorite song and take the stage
in the Lucky 7 Saloon because you could be the next Fort
McDowell Casino karaoke star! Didn’t make it through your
round? Relax, you could be the lucky Wild Card winner,
drawings at the end of each qualifying round. Karaoke with
Attitude’s Final Round is October 6th, 7pm-10pm. $
Many thanks to Stephanie Riley at ReThinc for her assis-
tance with this article. For more info about Fort McDowell
Casino, visit their website at www.fortmcdowellcasino.com
or call 1-800-THE-FORT (1-800-843-3678).
Editor’s Picks ENTERTAINMENT
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 27
Venues, times, dates, and ticket information may be subject to change. Please verify all details and any age restrictions with each venue as the event approaches. Photo copyrights belong to the artist. All rights reserved.
WILLIE NELSON & FAMILY Stargazer Pavilion
Cliff Castle Casino Hotel—Camp Verde
September 16th—Doors at 7PM
Tickets start at $35—800.381.SLOT
Don’t miss this American icon and Country Music
Hall of Fame inductee, who will soon celebrate his
80th birthday, and has a music career which spans
seven decades!
RON WHITE Diamond Center
Desert Diamond Casino—Sahuarita
September 30th—Doors at 7PM
Tickets start at $45—520.294.7777
Comedian Ron ‚Tater Salad‛ White has performed
with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Ca-
ble Guy on the highly acclaimed ‚Blue Collar Come-
dy Tour.‛
JERSEY ROCKS Showroom
Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale
Thursday thru Saturday—Now thru Oct. 1st
Tickets start at $19.99—480.850.7734
A rousing tribute to the many generations of music
that have come from the Garden State including
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Ronettes,
Billy Joel, and Bon Jovi.
CREEDENCE RELIVED Event Center
Mazatzal Hotel & Casino—Payson
October 8th—Show at 6:30PM
Tickets start at $15—800.777.PLAY
This group has re-captured the look and feel of
Creedence Clearwater Revival with their rugged Levi
jackets, shaggy hair cuts, beards and one heck of a
live show!
SUDOKU Each of the columns, rows, and nine 3x3 grids must con-
tain all of the digits 1 - 9. None of the digits may appear
more than once in each column, row, and 3x3 grid. (Solution on page 30)
1 6
2
7
2
9 7
6
4 1
2
3
2
1 5
2 7
9
9
1 8
5
7 9
8
6
4
7 3 8
RIDDLES
1. An undercover police officer needs to infiltrate an
illegal gambling club, but first he needs to figure out a
way to get in so he can disguise himself as a player.
One night, the police officer realizes that people are
being let in by saying a secret password, so he decides
to put a recording device close to the door. The first
person walks up to the door and replies “six” after the
man behind the door says “twelve.” Then, another
person walks up to the door and is let in when he re-
plies “three” after being told “six” by the man inside.
At this point, the police officer is sure he’s cracked the
code and feels he doesn’t need to wait any longer. He
goes up to the door and after the man inside says to
him “ten” the police officer replies “five” wholeheart-
edly. Unfortunately the police officer is in grave trou-
ble, because he didn’t say the right password! What
should have been the right password?
2. Cher doesn’t have one. Arnold Schwarzenegger
has one and it’s big! Michael J. Fox also has one but
it’s small! The Pope has one but never uses it! Tiger
Woods has one and uses it all the time! What is it? (Solutions on page 30)
FUN & GAMES
28 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
azgamingguide.com | September 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 29
SAMI’S SMACKDOWN
Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at:
By Sami Becker
FROM A CASINO
EMPLOYEE...
Sami, I work for a casino in Arizona, so I want my
name to be ANONYMOUS! I don’t want to take the
chance of being fired because I’m ranting about my
customers. I’ve worked in a casino now for 8 years
and I’ve heard a lot of things in that time. It’s to the
point where I really need to tell someone! I want to
tell people what I’ve heard and inform the families
of gamblers what they really need to know. They
need to know what’s going on, how a lot of gam-
blers think, and what some gamblers are really say-
ing when they call home. Okay, so here it goes …
I’ll be walking around inside my casino or outside
the casino and overhear customers on their cell
phones telling the person on the other line that they
are somewhere else and not at the casino. They will
say something like, “Hi honey, I’m at Costco” or “I
just left Wal-Mart.” I don’t know how they get away
with it, because they have no money and no grocer-
ies! I feel these types of people shouldn’t be at the
casino spending the rent or grocery money. They
just might be addicts who need help. I want all the
people that do this to know I appreciate their busi-
ness and I love seeing them playing and having fun.
However, if they’re not supposed to be in the casino
then they shouldn’t go. If they have a gambling
problem, they need to call for help at 1-800-
NEXTSTEP (1-800-639-8783) or visit their website at
www.problemgambling.az.gov. Thank You!
Anonymous Writer –Arizona
Thank you, so much, for taking the time to write us! I com-
mend the casinos, and employees like yourself, for caring
and prominently displaying the hotline number through-
out the casino. At some point, everyone needs to take re-
sponsibility for their own actions. Family and friends
should be aware if someone they love is exhibiting signs of
a gambling problem (or are displaying addictive tendencies
towards anything else such as food, drugs, alcohol, shop-
ping) and encourage them to get the help they need! $
*EXP. 10/1/2011
ADULT SEWING LESSONS!!!
This is the "YOU CAN
MAKE IT" series of les-
sons! NEW THIS SUM-
MER, WE WILL BE OF-
FERING WEEKLY ADULT
SEWING LESSONS!
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
Fort McDowell Gaming Center
Beeline Hwy (SR 87) and Fort McDowell Rd North of Fountain Hills
1-800-843-3678 fortmcdowellcasino.com
843 Slots, Live Keno, 1,700 Seat Bingo Hall,
24 Poker Tables, 15 Blackjack Tables
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Casino Arizona—Salt River
524 N. 92nd St, Scottsdale E of Loop 101 at McKellips Rd and 92nd St
1-480-850-7777 casinoaz.com
Over 900 Slots, Live Keno,
54 Table Games
Casino Arizona—Talking Stick Resort
9700 E. Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale 1 mile E of Loop 101 on Indian Bend Rd
1-480-850-7777 casinoaz.com
Over 800 Slots, Live Keno,
47 Poker Tables, 54 Table Games
Tohono O'odham Nation
Desert Diamond Casino
7350 S. Nogales Highway, Tucson 1 mile S of Valencia Rd on Nogales Highway
1-520-294-7777 desertdiamondcasino.com
1089 Slots, Live Keno, 270 Seat Bingo Hall
17 Poker Tables, 19 Blackjack Tables
Desert Diamond Casino
1100 W. Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita S of Tucson at I-19 and Exit 80 (Pima Mine Rd)
1-866-332-9467 desertdiamondcasino.com
890 Slots,
2 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables
Desert Diamond Casino
Highway 86, Why 1½ miles E of Why, AZ on Highway 86
1-866-332-9467 desertdiamondcasino.com
76 Slots
Tonto Apache Tribe
Mazatzal Hotel & Casino
Highway 87, Payson S of Payson on Beeline Highway(SR 87) 1-800-777-7529 777play.com
413 Slots, Live Keno, 280 Seat Bingo Hall,
3 Poker Tables, 5 Blackjack Tables
White Mountain Apache Tribe
Hon-Dah Casino, Resort & Conference Center
777 Highway 260, Pinetop 3 miles outside Pinetop at Highways 260 & 73
1-800-929-8744 hon-dah.com
802 Slots,
3 Poker Tables, 4 Blackjack Tables
Yavapai-Apache Nation
Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel
555 Middle Verde Rd, Camp Verde 1 mile E of I-17 on Middle Verde Rd
1-800-381-7568 cliffcastlecasino.net
656 Slots,
8 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables
Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe
Bucky's Casino
Highway 69 and Heather Heights, Prescott N at top of hill next to the Prescott Resort
1-800-756-8744 buckyscasino.com
301 Slots,
7 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables
Yavapai Casino
1500 E. Highway 69, Prescott Hwy. 69 at Heather Heights on S side of SR 69
1-800-756-8744 buckyscasino.com
235 Slots
Arizona Department of Gaming
1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
1-602-771-4263 azgaming.gov
Office of Problem Gambling (1-800-NEXT STEP or 1-800-639-8783 )
1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
1-602-542-8998 problemgambling.az.gov Source: Arizona Department of Gaming-Tribal Gaming Status-07/01/11
1 6 9
2 5 8
7 3 4
4 8 2
3 9 7
6 1 5
3 7 5
6 4 1
8 9 2
8 7 3
6 9 1
4 2 5
1 5 4
2 7 8
9 6 3
9 2 6
4 5 3
1 8 7
3 8 6
5 4 7
9 1 2
7 2 9
8 3 1
5 4 6
5 1 4
2 6 9
7 3 8
Solution to the Sudoku
Solutions to the Riddles
1. The number of letters in the word is the correct password.
The police officer should have replied ‚three‛ when the man
behind the door said ‚ten.‛
2. Their surname.
DIRECTORY OF CASINO SPONSORS
30 Arizona Gaming Guide | September 2011 | azgamingguide.com
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