The numbers are all over the board in terms of revenue when it comes to slot parlors. Gamers everywhere are revisiting casinos in the numbers they used to. It isn’t consistent, but it is a good high here and there. traffic at slots parlors is up and that is great news for the markets seeing increases.

Pennsylvania is a state that recently posted positive numbers for the month of September. The state’s Gaming Control Board announced that their slots gambling numbers are so far up that they are seeing a rise of 7.8% in revenue. This is a huge number for a market that has long been suffering with diminished numbers. There are ten casinos open in the state and they are all performing well. This could be the turning point that allows the state to start working on its own deficits and shortfalls in budget. The recession left every state suffering financially and there are few options other than gambling that could potentially turn things around as readily as rises in gambling numbers.
In September slot machines brought just over $186,300 in year-to-date revenue, as opposed to last year’s $172,850 total. Of course one more casino was added to the mix this year, but even by deleting that one casino’s revenues for the year, the numbers are still up by 5.1%. This could mean that the market is on its way to a turnaround for the state but no one wants to count it as a surefire turnaround just yet. Legislators are happy but still cautious about the numbers. They realize that to truly reinvigorate the market, they are going to have to see a month to month consistent increase in revenues. This may take a while, but if they can show small growth spurts like this one, it could mean that they are on the verge of a complete revival that much sooner. Casinos for their part are going to continue to build specials and bonuses that gamers love. They are pushing their markets to the brink of growth by working with gamers and hoping for the best. Over time they should be able to spur enough consistent customers to bring on a full-fledged turnaround of the industry.

One of the trends in the market is to use slot machines as a means to reinvigorate a business. Race tracks all over the US are petitioning for slot machines. They believe that slots gaming will allow them to attract customers who are going to wager and let them continue operating. Race tracks have had it particularly hard in the recession. They have thus far still not returned to pre-recessionary numbers. Hundreds of slammer race tracks had to close down during the recession because they knew that they were unable to manage—even with layoffs, cutbacks and refinancing tools. It is difficult times for the market but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have some fun with gambling. Gambling does not have to be expensive. The great thing about today’s market is that it is so flexible. You can find games with varying wager requirements and they are going to fit into any bankroll regardless of what yours is.

Online bingo websites are using the same tool that race tracks are using—they want to bring slots gaming in. Online bingo website operators feel that if they bring slots to their casinos, it will help to not only bring in customers, but it also will help to elevate revenues accordingly. Right now a record number of online casinos are looking to bingo as the game that could put it over the edge in terms of revenue. They have to get players to their casino though. This is proving difficult with the recession just previously deemed officially “over.”The way that online gaming companies is attracting new customers is via the appeal of slots gaming. If you go to an average bingo website today, you are going to find a long list of slots games available too. You probably won’t find games as intricate as the nine-reel games you have found, but you still are going to find some great slots. Remember that casinos work hard to find out what slots best serve their customers and then bring them in time and time again. Visit any online bingo parlor and see for yourself how much slots fun you can have at any one of them.

Until now there have been small nascent signs of growth in the slots market. Tiny things like a growth jump here and there have kept gaming companies hopeful that things would turn around more completely shortly. That time is finally here. States are slowly showing a growth in their gambling revenue and it is coming up somewhat consistently. That is great news since in former months it has reached a high here and there, but then soon returned to its lowered numbers. Now things are looking up due to some consistency in the market. Pennsylvania just announced that it is posting a 7.8% increase in slots revenue as compared to the same time one year ago. The Gaming Control Board noted the rise in revenue that brought $186.4 million for September. That equals out to $102.2 million considered to be tax revenue dollars.

The rise in return is welcomed news for the market. Of course since the recession, Pennsylvania like other states has been looking for some signs ore financial revival. Time and again the numbers have been down and caused a lot of stress to the market. Even though gamblers were coming back into casinos post-recession, they were slow to start wagering at the same levels they once did. This lag in a return to gaming numbers is what has hampered the market considerably though now it is showing signs of some consistent growth. Hollywood Casino at Penn National racetrack is also showing a growth. The casino posted a $19.8 million revenue stream that is an increase of 4.5% since last year. So far the gaming companies within the state have brought in $2.2 billion since July 1st. That means $772 million in tax revenue dollars to split for various programs in the state. Until the gambling revenue was on the table, many legislators were looking to serious budget cuts as the only way to get through the coming years. Namely education and jobs were on the chopping block for the coming fiscal year. Now that gambling is showing positively, it may mean saving a variety of different programs and fueling money back into the economy.

There are many changes going on in the world of gambling and not all are necessarily good. For example, if you ventured to the Lucky Dog casino in Washington Las year, you would have been surprised to see that it was closed down. Not a permanent closing, but a closing for the season. This is highly unusual in the world of gambling. Normally casinos stay open all year long to maximize their revenue and this is one of the first instances of a casino closing during an entire season. The Lucky Dog casino is owned by the Skokimish Tribe and is located in Mason County of the state. The reason for the closing was the recession. It affected gaming on many different levels and that means that its affects are still hard hitting. Lucky Dog’s closing was the last decision after strong fights to stay alive. The operators cut over one-hundred jobs in an effort to keep the casino open. They also made major cutbacks to try to keep the casino open year round. Unfortunately their problems were not solved by the cutbacks. They ended up having to close down for the winter.

Operators of Lucky Dog casino have noted the closing as a thing of the past, but confirm that it was unavoidable. Not only was the recession difficult on the casino market, but also the competition is weighing heavily on Lucky Dog. Now that there are more tribal casinos in Thurston county and Mason County, it is even more difficult to sustain a market share. The gamers in the market are being spread thinly and that is cutting down on everyone’s revenue stream. It is a difficult time to be in the slots market but casinos are rallying. Their operators are working to come up with various gaming choices that are going to increase the draw of their casinos. Lucky Dog is one of those casinos that is working hard. It reopened, but it still is cautious about its revenue consistency. It is going to take some time to regulate and find out whether or not the market is ready to continue them again, but hopefully Lucky Dog will find a returned market and a sustainable customer base.

Though gaming analysts aren’t positive about the demand for new slots developments, they are still hopeful that some elements may change the market. For example, if states continue to legalize gambling, there may be a growing demand for slot machines. Legalization and regulation of gambling will inevitably bring in new areas for the games. Casinos will continue to develop new projects. Because slots are so lucrative, they are going to predictably be in every casino that opens. Plus, if legalization happens, then most likely bars and pubs will include them to keep patrons interested in staying. The biggest advantage of course is that people staying in the casinos will wager more and they will drink more. Both can be highly lucrative for an establishment and in today’s market, most establishments are trying to bring up their monthly revenue streams.

Another thing that could change the market of slots gaming is the inclusion of them in racetracks. Many racetracks have suffered due to the recession and have yet to replace their revenues. Many went bankrupt and had to close but others are still struggling to maintain their footing in the market. One of their biggest plans is to incorporate slots parlors into their racetrack locations. They believe that slots are the sure fire way to start bringing in more patrons to wager and to bet on races. If they clamor for slots machines, it possibly could turn around the demand for games and bring in a new slew or orders for games. Though the prospects for slots are not good right now due to the economy, that doesn’t mean things won’t turn around quickly in the near future. There are a number of external changes that potentially could reinvigorate the market. Race tracks, bars, pubs and legalization of gambling as a whole all could turn the market of slots around quicker than anticipated by gaming analysts. Only time will tell how much it will take, but the games have proven their performance over the years. Most likely they are going to do so again and again as the market continues to expand.

Traditionally slots have been high performers in the world of casinos. If you look at the numbers, Las Vegas recently released a commentary stating that gambling on slot machines made up about 60% of the overall casino revenue. That is a huge portion of the market and it is no wonder why casinos are scrambling to get slots into their gaming floor. Add to that the fact that racetracks have been suffering all over the country and are now looking to slots gaming as a means of bringing in customers and in turn added revenue. Gaming is difficult right now—people are wagering, but the numbers are showing they are wagering in much smaller amounts. It’s no wonder why slots are so popular. Few other games offer the same wager flexibility of slots. You can play slots games that cost anywhere from a penny to $10 to wager on. On the other hand, most table games cost a minimum of $15 to get in on! There is a problem though—casinos are laying off purchasing new slots games.

Gaming analysts are predicting that though slots are popular, their developers are going to see a slump in coming months. They noted that gaming equipment sales are down, despite people still wagering. Part of the problem is that casinos reason: If gamers are coming in, why invest in new games? Considering that it can cost considerably to select a new slots game, install it, troubleshoot it and then promote it, it is not a small investment when a new game enters the casino floor. It takes a lot of planning and forethought to bring in new games. Analysts think that possibly it could be as late as 2011 or 2012 that gaming companies see more demands for new games. They attribute the lag to casino’s limited budgets right now. They don’t have the cash to expend. It may be well into 2011 when it first sees some notable turnarounds of the market. That is when gaming companies may see their first revivals in demand and start selling games again. Until then though, the market may be slow and lack a true income stream to count on.

Part two coming next.

Gone are the days of walking away with nothing more than a few dollars at a slots game. It used to be the penny slots were the most utilized games on the casino floor. In particular because of the recent recession, people’s gambling budgets were all but obliterated in the financial troubles of the world. Discretionary money was all but gone and that meant all but the avid gamers, cut casino gambling out of their weekly routines. The avid gamers remained solid, but even they had to alter their gaming habits. No longer did them come to the casino with a few hundred to spend; rather, they came into the casino with a few dollars and needed to make it last. So how did they do that? Well- the biggest asset was slots because you can play slots for an extended period of time if you know what games to pick. There are a wide range of great penny-slots out there that offer the best in gaming and never break your bank. Even the strictest bankroll can handle gaming with these games.

Call it a gift, but casinos watched the games that were most lucrative throughout any economic turmoil and found that penny slots were the one mainstay in gambling habits. Though people left the high-roller tables and even the moderate-tables, the penny slots area was hardly ever empty. In fact, most gamblers just shifted over to those tables. For example, if you have $60 as a bankroll, and want to play for three hours, it’s easy to do that with a penny slot casino. That would be next to impossible with a $20 limit blackjack table! Some people want to go to their favorite casinos for the atmosphere and still enjoy a few hours of gaming and penny slots give them the perfect opportunity.

If you want to gamble online, remember that online gaming follows land-based gaming. The trend for smaller slots is replicated online. You can log into any good online casino and find a wide range of games to enjoy that are tied to the “penny slots” category. Check some out and combine them with great bonus deals and you could walk away a big winner despite spending the smallest amount possible.

Hialeah Park in Florida is one of the most popular race tracks in the world. Like other race tracks it suffered during the recession. Many people cut out racing from their budgets once their own funds were threatened. Unemployment, cutbacks and home value losses all combined together to wreak havoc on businesses and individuals alike. It was hard for everyone and businesses that rely on discretionary funds for sustenance. Places like Las Vegas are indicative of that. The city has long been built on the industry of gambling and has been a gambling hub throughout the entire world. Once the recession happened, it put a crunch on the amount of discretionary funds people had and they immediately stopped gambling. The city of Las Vegas as a whole came to a financial stand-still. It is still heavy in the midst of recovery and hoping that once the economy improves it will be able to see recovery itself.

There is a danger for any market that relies on one specific industry for its survival. Detroit, Michigan is another state that suffered due to its one economy—manufacturing. Companies shut down left and right during the recession and put millions of workers out of jobs. The jobs that were eliminated were also jobs that will never return to the market. That made it twice as difficult for the city to come together and regroup after the economic downturn. It will take some time to find a new industry for the city to focus on and build itself up with. Las Vegas and Detroit both are examples of how dangerous it is for a city to rely solely on one industry for its survival. If that one industry is changed or altered in any way, the city may see sure-fire disaster and have a difficult time rebounding.  It’s a good lesson for cities that are now relying on one indsutry. They need to diversify for their own good because one bad strike of the market and they too could find themselves in the midst of financial disaster. Learning the lesson can contribute to the over all wellbeing of cities and states nationwide.

Connecticut is having problems with slot machines. Though the rest of the country is relatively confident that slots will produce big revenues, Connecticut is not as sure. The operators of the state’s two casinos say that their slot machine revenues continue to decline steadily.  Looking at numbers from December of 2008 and December of 2009, it’s clear to see that slots are not holding on financially. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe runs Foxwoods Resort Casino and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. The tribe reported that their slot revenue was $44.8 million, which was $44.9 million a year prior. In addition, the Mohegan sun, run by the Mohegan tribe, had an even bigger dip.  The casino reported that last year they brought in $63.1 million in December and $57.1 million this year.

It is a difficult time for tribe-owned casinos because they are predominantly reliant on their casinos to bring in needed funds. Many state legislators are looking at the tribe’s problems with slots and considering the future. States are moving more and more towards relying on slots gambling as a means of bringing in much-needed revenues. Some states have already planned on legalizing and regulating online gambling and they have assumed projected funds will cover various budget items for 2010. The problem is that they are relying on consistent revenue from slots, but with tribal-owned casinos reporting the inconsistency of slots, it’s a difficult time. Legislators are already counting on money that they may not make in 2010.

There is a huge debate over slots revenue. The tribal casinos that are losing revenues pay the state 25% of their monthly income from the games. The Mashantucket Pequots gave the state $11.3 million and the Mohegans gave the state $14.3 million in the month of December. The huge tax laws are eating into their already suffering incomes. Many tribes are worried. Now that slots are set to be legalized and regulated by state governments, the tribes are also concerned that the added competition will further eat away at their money. Only time will tell what the answer is for the tribes and for the states that are using slots revenue to make ends meet.

The Attorney General for the state of Kentucky ruled that the new instant racing machines are not slot machines and therefore, are legal. That’s good news for the state because legislators are looking forward to bringing more revenue into the state. The games in question look like slot machines, but they are not the same. They are hoping that these new slot machines will bring in money for both the horse tracks and the state. The games are similar to slots, but the outcome is based on randomly selected old horse races. According to Attorney General Jack Conway, the games are not slot machines though, and are therefore legal in the state of Kentucky. However, state law will have to be rewritten to allow these games. The problem is that legislation is not yet in place to handle the new machines and that could hold up the process considerably.

The way these slot machine work is that players are able to bet on previously run races. Gamblers don’t know what they are betting on and it only takes seconds to watch the game and find out if they win or lose. The game gives out details about the horses like stats, wins, and origins. It doesn’t divulge the time of the race or the day so it keeps the guessing fair for the player. The games aren’t as popular as regular slots games are, but they still bring in revenue. Kentucky is looking for additional revenues since the recession wreaked havoc on the economy. Like most states, the economy is difficult and the unemployment rate is high. Legislators are hard-pressed to come up with ways to solve the budget crisis and without some money-generating moves, various programs will have to be cut. Education, public works, expansions and infrastructure reinforcements will all ahve to be put on hold until money is found to fund them. These slot-like machines could be the answer the state needs to bring in money. Of course there are critics who cite the problems slot machines bring as an inevitable option to bringing in these slot-like games, but in the end money may win out.