Making waves in the state of Ohio seems to be the norm for the group LetOhioVote.org.  The organization is the one that managed to successfully challenge Governor Ted Strickland’s former plan to increase the number of slot machines in the state. He thought his plan would go through potentially without a hitch, until LetOhioVote.org got into the mix. The organization is maintaining that Ohioans are the ones who should vote on the issue of whether or not slots should be used to fund state budget shortfalls. According to the Ohio Supreme Court the group has until December 18^th of this year to collect enough signatures on a petition that would allow the issue to become a referendum vote on the May 2010 ballot.  

Records are showing that it was mostly religious-based conservatives who signed the petition and effectively sidelined Stickland’s plan. He wanted to install lottery-run slots at seven Ohio horse racing tracks and then use the additional revenue to overcome an $850 million budget shortfall. It seemed like a logical option with the huge deficit in the budget for the new year. But the Ohio Supreme Court changed the plan when it said opponents can try to put the measure to a popular vote. Though Strickland thought his plan was a sure-fire hit, the non-profit organization LetOhioVote.org threw a wrench in his plan with their powerful retort. Now that the group is organized and ready to stand against Strickland’s move, they are proving to be formidable contenders.

So who is the LetOhioVote.org powerhouse? The company is run by three people: Dan Hansen, Tom Brinkman and Gene Pierce. Each one has their own anti-gambling agenda.  Hansen is a former president of Ohio State University and a conservative public persona. Brinkman is a former republican legislator within the state and Pierce is a communications consultant. He also worked for Ken Blackwell, former secretary of state who ran against Strickland in the 2006 race. The interesting thing about these players is that they are all proven conservatives. They have been instrumental in moving issues like abstinence, anti-abortion and anti-pornography forward. They also have spoken about conservative Christian values in their platforms and lives.

Part two coming next.

For slots lovers everywhere, there are two new slots games to love! Alaskan Fishing and Dance of the Masai are the two new games to focus on today. They are both great slots games that any player will be happy to join in on. First there is Alaskan Fishing. This one was just released back in November of this year. It features good old Alaska at its bitter cold best. You’ll see bears, fishermen, tackle boxes, eagles, planes and of course, fish on the reels in this game. You can play it at Casino Action and UK Casino Club.  The game doesn’t have the traditional payline structure though. Alternatively you have 243 ways to win. You can wager up to 300 coins per spin and you can get up to 1,215,000 coins free! That’s over $60,000 if you play with 5¢ on the paylines.

When you get the fisherman on the reels 1 and 5 at the same time, you get to the Fly Fishing bonus game. During this bonus game you can choose from five fish. Your multiplier will depend on what fish you pick and you could bet form 2x to 15x your initial win as a result. You also can get the free spin feature. That one is triggered when three or more tackle boxes appear on your screen. When you get those, you get 15 free spins and this is when your prizes are all doubled. Free spins can be retriggered and you can get the bonus game anytime during your free spins.

The second game of note is the Dance of the Masai. This is a MicroGaming invention and that means quality slots. This one has the warrior theme of course and you’ll get tons of scatter tree symbols to help you win big. During the free spin option, a warrior that lands on reel 2 or 4 will get you to the new reel. If your warrior appears on reel 4, then your prize is quadrupled. And if you get the warrior on reels 2 and 4 at the same time, then your prize is multiplied by 8x!  You also will find a gamble feature where you can double or quadruple your winnings. This is a 5-reel and 25 payline game and it too was just released in November of 2009. It’s another great MicroGaming game and you should test it out.

For anyone looking for great slot games, try out Multi-player Wheel of Wealth and Kings of Cash. Both games provide a fantastic gaming experience for any slots lover. Here are the details on each game.

·         Multi-player Wheel of Wealth. This game gives you a great way to interact with other players as they enjoy their gaming. When you play Multi-player Wheel of Wealth, you game screen is the one closest to you, while the other player’s screens appear around the Wheel of Wealth.  There is also a side chat-box where you can talk to other players. If you want to try out the game you can at Golden Reef Casino and at Casino Action. One of the best things about the game is that when you trigger the bonus, all players in the room are taken to the bonus round at the same time. It’s a great way to enjoy a whole new screen of gaming and you can get to it any number of ways. Even if you aren’t particularly lucky that day, the player to your left might be! Each player’s winnings are then multiplied by their own personal bonus multiplier. You’ll earn bonus multipliers during the base game, whenever 2 or more gold coin scatter symbols appear on a spin. This game has a top prize of 1,000,000 coins and that adds up to $100,000 if you play with 10¢.

·         Kings of Cash. This is a new online slots game that first was introduced last month—November of 2009 at Golden Reef Casino and Casino Action. The game features images of treasures, bags of money, crowns, and thrones. The crown is one of two scatter symbols and if you manage to get 3 ore more, you get to the bonus round of game play. In the bonus game, the four kings will appear on your screen and each will hold a different prize.  To win the prize, you have to start turning over the 12 cards in the middle of the screen. When you get three of the same king, you win that king’s prize. You also can end up with 1,000 times your total bet. Those are great odds. The second scatter symbol is a gold dollar sign. If you get 3, 4 or 5 of these you win 10, 15 or 25 free spins, respectively.  In this bonus your prizes are doubled. There is also a gamble feature where you can double, triple or quadruple your winnings.

Overall both games are outstanding slots to enjoy. If you like the multi-player option where you can socialize with other players, then look at Wheel of Wealth. On the other hand if you are looking for great solo gaming, check out Kings of Cash. You won’t be disappointed with either.

Like all expos and trade shows, G2E isn’t necessarily just about money. It’s also about showing the industry what is new and what they should be looking out for as they move into the future of gaming.  Goldman Sachs gaming analyst Steven Kent said, “It seems to us that the strength of these games and technological advancements are so great that they should catalyze replacement sales.” Macquarie Securities gaming analyst Joel Simkins said the long-term prognosis for equipment manufacturers is good.  He added, “It has never been a better time to be a slot manager, as the competitive playing field is arguably the most robust in the history of the industry and nearly all vendors are bringing out high-quality, innovative products.” 

In many markets, casino operators already updated their slot machines and they did it before the economy fell.  Because of this they are not as incentivized to buy new technologies. For example, Tjeerd Brink, CEO for the Pechanga Resort in Temecula, Calif., said the large Riverside County Indian casino expanded its slot machine base in 2007, a year after the tribe negotiated a new compact with the state.

Some the trade show’s highlights included IGT’s 3-D Center Stage series. The series has a host of slot machines that are all linked together and backed by a 103”, high-definition television screen. One of the themes featured is based on the reality television series “American Idol.” The bonus round allows players to assume the persona of one of the judges — Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi or Simon Cowell — and incorporates clips of the show’s past contestants. This is just one example of how pop culture is finding its way into slots play more and more. Gaming companies are trying to capitalize on what customers want and what is familiar to them.

As the industry moves forward, expect to see more popular icons of culture on the slot machine screen. Developers know that the key to making people happy is to cater to what they normally watch, do and like. It’s a simple formula to bring in more people. At the gaming expo there were many companies that are working hard to do just that.

At the recent Global Gaming Expo slot machines were on full display. Games with high-definition animations and 3D graphics were introduced. Touch-screen technology and X-Box-like video features were incorporated into major slot machine manufacturers. Some slots were built around new popular themes of 2009. In fact, there were so many slots that the floor of the expo almost looked like a slots parlor with a few other displays.

International Game Technology was a company that premiered a slot machine based on the popular TV series and movie “Sex and the City”. In turn, WMS Industries introduced their game that featured “Lord of the Rings.”  Bally Technologies had games that featured a liquid-crystal display screen and games that had new and dynamic bonus rounds for an added gaming experience. International Game Technology CEO Patti Hart said, “There is that sense of energy and anticipation this year. We’re getting the sense from our customers that they truly want to see what we have to offer.”

JP Morgan gaming analyst Joe Greff said, “We were impressed with some of the newer products and believe it was considerably improved upon from newer products introduced over the last few G2Es. We think this is important as newer and more competitive content is a big part of what investors are expecting as the industry prepares for a pickup in domestic replacements and gaming expansion presents newer revenue opportunities.”  Greff is referring to the recent recessionary years at the G2E.  In the past few years, companies have held back on serious commitments to enhancing machines. Budgets have been down and companies have been hoping to get more wear out of older machines, rather than invest money into development of new ones. There are small signs that the market is turning around, however, and gaming developers are ready to move back into focusing on programming. They are ready to start research again and gaming companies are ready to start funding their work. Greff added, “Though the past few years have been let downs in terms of development, this year we are really seeing that passion again…a passion to really push the envelope of what gaming is and what its capabilities are.”

Part two coming next.

In today’s market, many states are looking to gambling as a way to fund their budgets. The recession wreaked havoc on many state’s finances. Deficits are high. Expenses are outrageous and income is limited.  Gambling is the seemingly perfect solution to the issue due to the huge dollars moving through the system. It’s estimated that gambling is an $8 billion business annually.  Though the recession is considered to be “over” by now, it has left huge deficits in the state and federal budgets.  The US is currently looking for ways to legalize and regulate gambling. Formerly the UIGEA was what made it illegal for banks to allow money to be transferred for the purpose of gambling withdrawal or payments.  This rendered gambling illegal in the states and forced many gamblers to take their business to offshore casinos.  Billions of dollars are being spent out of the country via gambling and now the US is looking for a way to change that. The government wants to legalize gambling and take advantage of the huge tax revenue dollars that are available.

One state that recently got a taste of the money that could be generated from gambling with legalized slots parlors is Pennsylvania. Back in 2004 the state made slots legal and from that one move they were able to bring in a revenue increase of over 24%, just from slots parlors. In just the first 11 months of legalization Pennsylvania collected over $3.8 million in revenues as a result.

On Tuesday, Pennsylvanian State Representative Bill DeWeese made the move to introduce a proposal to add table games to the state’s casinos. If the move is accepted, it could be a highly lucrative move for the government. Under the measure, casino operators would pay a million dollar fee up-front to bring games such as blackjack, poker and craps at their currently slots-only facilities. There would be an annual renewal fee as well as daily tax of 18% and a local-share assessment of 2% of its daily gross table-game revenue. This is in addition to the money being paid to the state from the slot machines. Overall it is a great deal for bringing money into the state’s economy. If it is as lucrative and successful as projected, many other states will follow suit close behind.

For any fan of online tournament play, check out “See You In December” slots tournament as held by Vegas Technology’s casinos. Immediately following Black Friday, you can find the tournaments up all over. There is a grand prize pool of $150,000 to win at this tournament and it promises to be great fun on top of it. The tournament is a guaranteed $3,500 event and it has an entry fee of $1.99 with rebuys of the same amount.  Once this one is over, the “See You In December” tournament begins.

With the “See You In December” event, you can start playing immediately after black Friday. It lasts until Tuesday December 1^st.  The tournament is to be played on the Reel Deal slot game. The winners of this tournament will have a great start of the new year because it’s a guaranteed $75,000 weekend madness payout.  To enter there is a $13.99 entry fee and that gives you 325 initial credits to start immediate play.  If you want to up your credits or buy more, you can use the rebuy of the same amount.

Who ever does win the $75,000 Tournament will earn $20,000 cash. There are to be winners up to the 500^th Place. If you are a slots player this is a great holdiay tournament to get in on. The “Reel Deal” slot game is a fun game. It has 5-reels and it’s a 20 payline slot. The symbols are the dollar bills, a contestant, a phone, among other catchy pictures for you to follow. You can choose coin sizes from 1¢ up to $10 and the maximum bet for a spin is $200, which is $10 per line.

In this game, the scatters are where you’ll win bigger prizes. There is a red scatter button and if you get it the payline can pay you from 1x to 1000x to winning line. If you get three or more of the scatters, you can activate the 15 free spin option. If you get the briefcase then you get to the bonus round for the game. This is a great bonus and you end up picking from a number of suitcases to reveal the prize you walk away with. Overall it’s a great slots game and should give you plenty of visual fun to enjoy.  Join in on the “See You In December” slots tournament and give yourself a chance to walk away with some huge prizes.

One thing that casinos need to constant work on is security. Whether it is an online facility working to make payment transactions more secure, or a land-based facility that is working on its security camera operations, everyone needs top-notch protection. With the growth in gambling as an industry, that naturally brings more players who are familiar with how games are run. They know how mechanisms work and how to thwart them if needed. Sure the number of people trying to bilk the machines is small compared to the number of honest people wanting a fun hobby, but their numbers are big enough for casinos to be wary.

Though machines are now electronic, there are still ways to get around them. In a recent case a man was found in Atlantic City with a magnetic pipe. He used it to wave in front of the machine as he played and it was able to “confuse” the inside electronic mechanism just long enough to not charge him the proper coinage to continue playing. He played for free until he won. Of course, security was watching him. He had the magnetic pipe in his boot and was kneeing the machine when he got the wrong combination. Security noticed his strange movements and moved in.  It is people like this that casino have to be aware of. As one casino security official stated, “They are just one step behind you when it comes to security…and that’s not much. We have to be on our toes.”

Not only are premises secured, but other aspects of gaming are moving with technology. Gaming Partners International Corporation just announced that it will be providing casino currency for the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. The substantial order includes chips that have a high-frequency 13.56MHz RFID, radio frequency identification device, micro chip. The high-quality casino chips, which are being produced in both of the company’s production facilities, include a variety of security features, chips styles, shapes and color combinations from two of GPI’s major brands of currency product lines.  It is moves like these that are necessary for any casino today to protect itself and its players.

This past October 15th the Flagler Dog Racing Track added a slots parlor to its facility. The Magic City Casino formally opened to the public that day at 10am and celebrated years of owners trying to bring slots to the community. The facility is operated by the Havenick family and they too have been working hard to bring a slots casino to the facility.

Barbara Havenick, CEO of the race track, said that they are “very excited and happy since we have lobbied for so long!”  She said that slots will have a positive influence on the Miami-Dade County economy. 

Many cities are in the middle of debates regarding bringing slots to their communities. The reality to contend with is that despite the ethical issue, slots bring in big money. In fact, one study recently showed that casinos in Las Vegas bring in almost 60% of their revenues from slot machines. Race tracks know this and they have long been fighting to bring in slots to their businesses. Due to the economy and the recession, many race tracks are on the verge of closing due to low numbers. Havenick added, “Without slots, we would be in serious peril. Since the downturn of the economy our race tracks have made some serious cut backs already in schedules and jobs.”

Recently Florida and Miami-Dade County approved slot machines and the Havernicks were not about to let the chance to increase revenues pass them by. In addition to the money, they also were able to create about 500 new casino jobs for locals. The project cost about $54 million, much of which was leveraged by the family.

The Havenick family is currently working on their facility even more. They are hoping to change one large area into a bar, food court and gaming area complete with blackjack machines. Blackjack was legalized by the state earlier this month. The facility would also like to create a 3,000 seat amphitheater for concerts and hoping to bring in local talent throughout the week and well-known national acts on weekends.  Overall the facility is set to increase its growth in upcoming months and the Havernicks are hoping that it will bring in much-needed revenue and jobs to the economy.

Black Bear Entertainment LLC is hoping to collect 80,000 signatures before February 1st 2010. The signatures are centered around the companies desire to win public vote in building a casino in Western Maine. The company is hoping to win the right to force a vote for next year regarding construction of the facility.  Peter Martin, spokesman for Black Bear Entertainment, said that getting 80,000 people involved would be enough to create a vote on the November 2010 ballot.  

Originally the organization did not want to be a part of the construction of the casino in Oxford County. The proposal acknowledged that there were problems with the issue. In particular, the issue of lowering the gambling age to 19 was a problem that hampered the deal.  Martin said that the new gambling proposal does not involve moving the gambling age and also earmarks 32% of all slot machine revenue to the state’s education funding program. It also promises to bring much-needed jobs to the state. Oxford County in Maine has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

There are critics of the plan, however. Anti-gaming organization Casinos-NO! released a statement citing how residents already dismissed a proposal for a casino in the county and they will pass on it again. Dennis Bailey, representative for Casinos-NO! said, “Black Bear is trying to push for the same thing and expect a different outcome that they will not get!”

The issue of building a casino is not a new one. Back in 2003 the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Indian tribes both pushed for a facility to be built in Sanford. Instead, voters opted for a race track and denied the full casino. Governor John Baldacci denied the request by the Indian tribes for a racino in the county of Washington.

With the previous casino campaign, supporters believe that the casino would be a positive change for the community. They believe in job creation as a huge motivator for building the casino. They also don’t have a problem with the taxation issue. If built, a casino would have a taxation rate of 42% and slots at the casino would be taxed at 46%. Casino gaming tables would be taxed at 16%. The largest group to enjoy the added revenue would be educational-based organizations.