Indian Casino New England

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NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY
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NATIVE AMERICAN GAMING

Issues: economic and social impact on reservation members and on surrounding communities; problem gamblers; constitutional status of reservations; state and federal authority regarding Indian gaming; level playing field regarding taxes and regulation vis-à-vis non-Indian gaming

Native American gaming (also referred to as Indian gaming or tribal gaming), at least on its current scale, is a relatively recent phenomenon and has developed in ways that even its proponents did not anticipate, very quickly becoming an enormous and still-rapidly-growing industry. It has generated very complex legal issues and problems, ranging from constitutional clashes over state and federal powers to rivalries within and between tribes and states. As a result (or perhaps a cause), this industry has been shaped to a very large degree by federal court rulings, rather than the political process; several ongoing cases are currently making their way through state and federal courts, several with the potential to significantly alter existing conditions and practices. As in most constitutional issues, principal and self-interest are conflated: the most abstract and noble principals cannot be easily separated from narrow self-interest. Because of the large sums of money at stake, disputes over Indian gaming have been the means of bringing many of these otherwise abstract issues to a head.

The Federal-State-Tribal Triangle

Federally-recognized Indian tribes are grouped under the legal status of 'defeated nations.' (Several non-recognized tribes, including some thought defunct for almost two centuries, are currently seeking official recognition, for a variety of motivations. Without such a designation, constitutionally they are little more than private associations). These tribes, both as collective units and their individual members, are wards of the federal government, which has a legal responsibility for their protection and the promotion of their welfare. As such, they enjoy rights, or suffer restrictions, not applicable to other Americans. For example, reservation land is not owned by the tribes or their members but instead is held in trust by the federal government. And reservations are virtually off-limits to state and local laws and authorities, even though reservation members vote in state elections. This triangular relationship between individual tribes, the respective states, and the federal government forms the center of the debate over Native America gaming, and is never absent from any aspect of it.

One key part of this many-faceted debate is the ever-present debate between those who believe assimilation into the larger American society is a worthwhile objective, and those who vociferously oppose it. As part of this contest, the image of reservations for many has changed from being places in which the residents were involuntarily confined to being places of protection from outside forces, especially against the several state governments, traditionally seen as hostile to Native American rights (The federal government, despite all of its possible benign neglect -- and the Hollywood image notwithstanding -- has traditionally been regarded as their protector). A desire to protect their 'sovereignty' against state and federal encroachment has motivated both proponents and opponents of Indian gaming, with many proponents seeing it as a means of gaining financial independence from the federal government, and some opponents seeing it as the means by which both state and federal government can increase its presence on the reservation. This argument, among others, was successfully employed by leaders of the anti-gambling movement in the two occasions when voters on the Navajo reservation, the largest in the country, turned down gambling.

Creating the Industry

The Supreme Court, in the so-called Cabazon decision of 1987, in effect removed virtually all existing restrictions on gambling on Indian reservations. What had previously been a relatively small and isolated phenomenon suddenly began growing rapidly. In response, Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988, which in effect authorized casino gambling on Indian reservations and provided a regulatory framework and oversight body for the industry in the form of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC). Indian gaming was divided into three classes for purposes of licensing and regulation; Class I covers charitable and social gaming for nominal prizes; class II includes bingo, punch-boards and pull-tabs; Class III facilities include casinos, high-stakes bingo, slot machines, and all other commercial forms of gambling.

As of December 31, 1996, there were 184 tribes operating 281 gaming facilities on and off reservations. 24 states have Indian gaming; of these, 14 have casinos on Indian reservations. In 8 of these states, the only casinos in the state are on Indian reservations. In 1995, total Class III gaming revenues (money wagered minus payouts) from all sources: over $4.5 billion, with 8 facilities accounting for 40% of the total (in addition, over $300 million in revenues was earned from sale of food, hotel rooms, etc., for combined total revenue of approximately $4.9 billion). Net income (revenues minus expenses): $1.9 billion, or 38% of the $4.9 billion.

Of the $1.9 billion in net income ($1.7 from casinos, $200 million from non-charitable bingo), approximately $1.6 billion was received by 106 tribes from the operators (usually non-Indian corporations). Ten of the tribes accounted for over half of this total.

For purposes of comparison, in 1995 the 109 Class III Indian gaming facilities (casino-type gaming) generated about the same total amount in gaming revenues as the 12 Atlantic City casinos, and surpassed them in 1996. They also grossed more than 50% of the gaming revenues of the 213 Nevada casinos. This works out to 18% of the national total of casino gaming revenues and 10% of all gaming revenues. Of these 109 facilities, 8 accounted for almost half of the total revenues. This uneven distribution of revenue earned by individual casinos is similar to that of the industry in Nevada, where a handful of the 213 licensed casinos account for the bulk of the gambling revenues, and unlike that of the Atlantic City casinos, which are far more equal in their share of the local business.

It need be noted that there is no regular, comprehensive reporting of income, expenditures, etc. by Class III casinos. Many of the figures in the public literature ascribed to Indian gaming are estimates based on dubious statistics. The most reliable information comes from a General Accounting Office (GAO) study in 1997 which reported accurate data for the first time. No ongoing reporting source of accurate information is as yet in place.

Gambling as a Panacea

In addition to purposes such as regulating an industry recently brought into existence and beyond the reach of state regulators, IGRA's proponents wanted to use gambling as a means of providing money for financing tribal governments, which often had little or no tax base, and also as part of a general effort to promote the economic self-sufficiency of the tribes. For this and other reasons, the IRS has determined that for purposes of income taxation, the gambling income of the Indian tribes and their federally-chartered corporations (the form casinos usually take) are not subject to federal income tax. Some tribes have chosen to distribute all or a portion of the tribe's net income from gambling to individual tribal members. However, distributions of tribal money to individual members can only be done if approved by the Secretary of the Interior, following criteria set forth in IGRA. Money received by individual members of the tribes is fully subject to federal income tax.

Manna in the Desert

Without question, Native American reservations have some of the highest rates of poverty, unemployment, welfare dependency, school dropout, alcoholism, and other indicators of poverty and social distress of any communities in the U.S. Many are located in remote areas with little indigenous economic activity. Given this background, it is not surprising that gambling has been seized upon by many tribes, as it is one of the few proven and available means of generating income for them. The prospect of sudden wealth after seemingly endless poverty has given the disputes an element of emotional immediacy that the complex and intransigent constitutional issues themselves probably would lack.

The issue of economic benefit is further complicated by the fact that much of this accrues not to the tribes or their members but to outside individuals, such as non-Indian locals who usually comprise the overwhelming majority of workers in Indian casinos, and the non-Indian corporations which are the usual operators of the casinos.

State-Tribal Conflict

Under federal law, the individual states have little or no authority over Indian reservations, including the ability to tax or regulate gambling or any other activity. For example, state officials, including the police, cannot exercise their authority on a reservation without tribal permission. Although in theory the several states can ban any form of gambling throughout their territory, in practice the lack of authority of state officials over reservations makes enforcement difficult there. Because the Supreme Court's decision in Cabazon threatened to create islands of virtually unregulated gambling throughout the U.S., IGRA included the provision that tribes wishing to conduct Class III gaming had to sign a 'compact' with the respective state (or states: reservations often overlap state borders) which typically includes measures for state regulation and for sharing of revenues. Other issues may be included. For example, states have typically required tribes to surrender any outstanding land claims in return for approving the compact.

This measure has produced controversy of its own. Some states have been accused of using this proviso to prevent the opening of all or some specific type of gaming facilities, both on and off reservations, either by refusing to negotiate with the tribes, or by allegedly presenting unreasonable conditions. For their part, some tribes do not want their gambling activities to be restricted at all by any state, however accommodating it may in fact be. The Interior Department recently announced a plan to give the Secretary of the Interior the power to bypass those state governments which have not negotiated 'in good faith' and directly grant permission to any Indian tribe petitioning to open a gambling facility. This proposed measure has drawn strong protests from several states and raises important issues concerning state and federal constitutional law. (This measure is separate from the subject of current investigations into possible campaign finance irregularities in 1996 involving Indian casinos).

The Power to Regulate

Indian gaming also directly concerns both the legal and actual power of the federal and states governments to regulate economic and social activities. States may be powerless to prevent gambling activities on reservations that the citizens and legislature of the state have decided to ban or to regulate, and the federal government may be unwilling or unable to assist this effort.

This far-from-abstract question has entered another level this year with the opening by the Coeur d'Alene tribe in Idaho of a site on the Internet for gambling, the first in the U.S. This innovation promises to test all sorts of issues, including the ability of state and federal governments to regulate the Internet. As the name U.S. Lottery indicates, this is billed as a national lottery, available not only on the Internet but also over the phone. A series of additional games are planned for the site. Many states ban gambling advertising and gambling on out-of-state operations (or even any form of gambling), and a coalition of state attorneys general immediately filed suit to block its operations on the Internet, but this has not prevented the Coeur d'Alene tribe from continuing its operations or changed its plans to expand.

A Government-Sanctioned Monopoly

A recurring theme is fairness: can the government sanction guaranteed privileges for one group of citizens over another? Non-Indian casino operators, for example, claim that Indian casinos have an unfair advantage, as the former are far more heavily regulated and taxed by both the state and federal governments than are the latter. In Nevada, for example, Indian gaming operates under significantly different conditions than their non-Indian competitors. Proponents of Indian gaming retort that they have been the objects of economic discrimination for centuries and that their residence on poor reservations was not their choice.

Much of the success of Indian gaming comes from their monopoly or near-monopoly of legalized gambling in a particular state or region. For example, the giant Foxwoods casino in Connecticut (reportedly the largest in the world), along with the smaller Mohegan Sun casino, between them have a near-monopoly on casino gambling in New England, one that is guaranteed by the state of Connecticut (at least for that state). Similar situations in other states has led to inter-tribal conflicts, conflicts between Indian and non-Indian areas over gambling revenues, conflicts with states seeking to restrict gambling, etc. The example of Foxwoods has led seemingly defunct tribes in New England to petition for federal recognition. As each tribe has broad freedom to determine its membership, based on some formula of percentage of tribal ancestry, such designation may carry large economic benefits. The individual states are generally opposed to new recognitions of this type.

Proponents and critics alike acknowledge that Foxwoods casino is unique in the world of Indian gaming. Foxwoods' success is the result of a deal struck with the state of Connecticut in 1991 (the casino opened in February 1992). In the deal, the state was granted 1/4 of the gross revenues from slot machines in exchange for legalizing slot machines exclusively for Foxwoods and the nearby Mohegan reservation, in addition to other provisions such as the surrender of old land claims making their way through the unpredictable federal courts.

Find out what slot machines actually returned to the public. Just clickbelow to see slot machine payback statistics for casinos in all U.S. states.

Alabama	Arizona	Arkansas	California
Colorado	Connecticut	Delaware	Florida
Georgia	Idaho	Illinois	Indiana
Iowa	Kansas	Louisiana	Maine
Maryland	Massachusetts	Michigan	Minnesota
Mississippi	Missouri	Montana	Nebraska
Nevada	New Jersey	New Mexico	New York
North Carolina	North Dakota	Ohio	Oklahoma
Oregon	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island	South Carolina
South Dakota	Texas	Washington	West Virginia
Wisconsin	Wyoming

ALABAMA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Alabama has three Indian casinos that offer Class II video gaming machines. They are not required to release payback statistics about their machines.

ARIZONA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

In mid-1993 Arizona’s Governor Symington signed a compact with the state’s tribes that allowed them to offer slot machines on their reservations.

The compact originally didn’t allow for any table games but in early 2003 blackjack was added as a permissible table game.

Arizona tribes aren’t required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks, however, according to the Arizona Department of Gaming, the terms of the compact require eachtribes’ machines to return the following minimum and maximum paybacks: video poker and video blackjack - 83% to 100%, slot machines - 80% to 100%, keno - 75% to 100%. Each tribe is free to setits machines to pay back anywhere within those limits.

ARKANSAS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Arkansas has two pari-mutuel facilities featuring “electronic games of skill,” which are defined as “games played through any electronic device or machine that affords an opportunity for theexercise of skill or judgment where the outcome is not completely controlled by chance alone.”

The games offered are video poker, video blackjack, and “skill” slots where you have two opportunities to spin the reels. The “skill” factor comes into play because after seeing the results ofyour first spin you then have to decide whether to keep none, one, two, or all three of the symbols on each reel before you spin them again. Gaming regulations require that all of theelectronic games of skill must return a minimum of 83%.

For the one year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average gaming machine’s return at Oaklawn was 92.81% and at Southland, it was 92.72%

CALIFORNIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

California’s Indian casinos are legally allowed to offer electronic gaming machines, blackjack, and other house-banked card games. The games of craps and roulette are not permitted. However,some casinos do offer modified versions of craps and roulette that are played with cards rather than dice or roulette wheels.

Most California card rooms also offer some form of player-banked blackjack, but because they are prohibited by law from playing blackjack, the game is usually played to 22 rather than 21.Additionally, players must pay a commission to the house on every hand they play. The amount will vary depending on the rules of the house but, generally, it’s about two to five percent of thetotal amount bet. There are about 90 card rooms in California and you can see a listing of them on the Internet at http://www.cgcc.ca.gov

California’s tribes aren’t required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks and the state of California does not require any minimum returns.

COLORADO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Here’s information, as supplied by Colorado’s Division of Gaming, showing the slot machine payback percentages for each city’s casinos for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June30, 2019:

Black Hawk	Central City	Cripple Creek
1¢ Slots	89.80%	90.43%	91.89%
5¢ Slots	92.85%	93.93%	93.50%
25¢ Slots	92.30%	94.06%	95.45%
$1 Slots	93.69%	94.82%	94.83%
$5 Slots	93.69%	93.76%	95.03%
All	92.35%	92.30%	93.53%

These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including video poker and video keno. The best returns for eachcategory are highlighted in bold print.

CONNECTICUT SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

The following information is from Connecticut’s Division of Special Revenue regarding Foxwoods’ slot payback percentages:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢	90.09
2¢	91.38
5¢	90.73
25¢	91.34
50¢	90.77
$1.00	92.99
$5.00	93.67
$10.00	94.29
$25.00	96.51
$100.00	94.14
Average	91.95

These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each denomination of slot machine from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.

Here's information from Connecticut's Division of Special Revenue regarding Mohegan Sun's slot payback percentages:

Denomination	Payback %
1/4¢	86.30
1/2¢	85.91
1¢	88.86
2¢	86.65
5¢	92.08
25¢	91.01
50¢	91.73
$1.00	92.94
$5.00	94.41
$10.00	97.41
$25.00	95.50
$100.00	94.55
Average	91.90

These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each denomination of slot machine from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.

DELAWARE SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Delaware’s three pari-mutuel facilities all feature slot machines. Technically, the machines are video lottery terminals (VLT’s) because they are operated in conjunction with the DelawareLottery. Unlike VLT’s in other states, however, Delaware’s machines payout in cash. The VLT’s also play other games including video poker, video keno, and video blackjack.

By law, all video lottery games must return between 87% and 95% of all wagers on an annual basis. Games can return above 95% but only with the Lottery Director’s approval.

According to figures from the Delaware Lottery for the twelve-month period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average VLT return at Dover Downs was 92.59%, at Delaware Park itwas 92.12%, and at Harrington Raceway it was 92.03%.

In mid-2018 a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalized sports betting at all U.S. casinos. Delaware was one of the first states to act on the ruling and all three of the state’s casinos offersportsbooks.

In January 2010 the Delaware legislature approved the addition of table games for the state’s casinos.

FLORIDA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Florida has three forms of casino gambling: casino boats, Indian casinos and gaming machines at pari-mutuels in two south Florida counties.

The casino boats offer gamblers the opportunity to board ships that cruise offshore where casino gambling is legal. From the East Coast, the boats sail three miles out into the Atlantic Oceanand from the west coast the boats travel nine miles out into the Gulf of Mexico. Since the casino boats travel in international waters they are free from regulations and the machines can be setto pay back whatever the operator wants without regard to a minimum payback percentage.

Florida has eight Indian gaming locations. The Seminole Tribe has seven and the eighth is on the Miccosukee Tribe’s reservation.

The Seminoles signed a compact with the state that allows them to offer both Class II and traditional Class III gaming machines. As part of their compact, five Seminole casinos are also allowedto offer the following:

blackjack
baccarat
mini-baccarat
three-card poker
let it ride
pai gow poker

The Miccosukee Tribe has not signed a compact and they only offer Class II gaming machines at their casino.

Class II video gaming devices look like slot machines but are actually bingo games and the spinning reels are for “entertainment purposes only.” No public information is available concerningthe payback percentages on any gaming machines in Florida’s Indian casinos.

The other games allowed in all Indian casinos include

high-stakes bingo
video pull tabs
poker

All of the casinos are open 24 hours (except Big Cypress) and all offer bingo except for both Seminole Hard Rock Casinos and the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. The minimum gambling age is18 at all Indian casinos for bingo or poker and 21 for electronic gaming machines.

Broward County (home county of Fort Lauderdale) and Miami-Dade County both have four pari-mutuel facilities that each offer electronic gaming machines, but no table games.

Florida gaming regulations require a minimum payback of 85% on all gaming machines. From July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the gaming machines at Magic City returned 93.43%, CasinoMiami returned 92.34%, Hialeah Park returned 93.55%, Gulfstream Park returned 92.16%, Dania Casino returned 92.68%, Big Easy returned 91.50%, Calder returned 91.32%, and The Isle returned90.22%.

GEORGIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

There are two casino boats in Georgia which both sail three miles out into international waters where casino gambling is permitted.

Since the casino boats travel in international waters they are free from regulations and the machines can be set to pay back whatever the operator wants without regard to a minimum paybackpercentage.

IDAHO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Idaho has six Indian casinos that offer electronic pull-tab machines and other video games. The machines don't pay out in cash. Instead they print out a receipt which must be cashed by a floorattendant or taken to the cashier’s cage. Some casinos also offer bingo (BG) and off-track betting (OTB).

The terms of the compact between the tribes and the state do not require any minimum payback percentage that the gaming machines must return to the public.

ILLINOIS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Here’s information from the Illinois Gaming Board showing each casino’s average slot payback percentage for the one-year period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018:

CASINO	PAYBACK %
Casino Queen	92.05
Harrah's Joliet	91.98
Hollywood Joliet	91.18
Argosy Alton	90.83
Par-A-Dice	91.02
Grand Victoria	91.02
Hollywood - Aurora	90.42
Jumer's	89.94
Rivers Casino	90.35
Harrah's Metropolis	89.39

These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines. As you can see, the Casino Queen returned the most to its slot machine players, whileHarrah's in Metropolis returned the least.

INDIANA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Following is information from the Indiana Gaming Commission regarding average slot payout percentages for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:

CASINO	PAYBACK %
Hoosier Park	90.05
French Lick	91.55
Rising Star	91.38
Indiana Grand	90.88
Blue Chip	91.40
Belterra	90.76
Majestic Star	90.25
Hollywood	89.96
Horseshoe Casino SI	90.09
Majestic Star II	89.88
Horseshoe Hammond	90.07
Ameristar	89.92
Tropicana	89.61

These figures reflect the average percentage returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines including slot machines, video poker, video keno, etc.

IOWA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Here’s information, as supplied by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, showing the electronic gaming machine payback percentages for all non-Indian locations for the one-year period fromJuly 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.

LOCATION	PAYBACK %
Prairie Meadows	91.67
Wild Rose- Emmetsburg	90.61
Wild Rose- Clinton	90.56
Wild Rose- Jefferson	90.52
Q Casino	90.63
Diamond Jo Worth	90.52
Catfish Bend	90.42
Riverside	90.40
Diamond Jo Dubuque	90.49
Grand Falls	90.36
Casino Queen Marquette	90.19
Ameristar	90.05
Rhythm City	90.26
Hard Rock	90.29
Isle Bettendorf	90.04
Harrah's	89.77
Isle Waterloo	89.73
Horseshoe Council Bluffs	89.66
Lakeside Casino	88.91

These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each riverboat casino or pari-mutuel facility for all of its electronic machines including: slots, video poker, video keno, etc.

KANSAS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

In April 2007 the Kansas legislature authorized local referendums to allow state-run casinos in four counties.

The Kansas Racing & Gaming Commission does not release information about the payback percentages on electronic gaming machines in Kansas. However, gaming regulations require that allmachines return no less than 87%.

There are also five Indian casinos in Kansas and they are not required to release information on their slot machine payback percentages. However, according to officials at the Kansas StateGaming Agency, which is responsible for overseeing the tribal-state compacts, 'the minimum payback percentage for electronic gaming devices is 80%.'

LOUISIANA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Gaming regulations require that gaming machines in casinos be programmed to pay back no less than 80% and no more than 99.9%. For video gaming machines at locations other than casinos, the lawrequires a minimum return of 80% and a maximum return of 94%.

Louisiana gaming statistics are not broken down by individual properties. Rather, they are classified by region: Baton Rouge (BR), Lake Charles (LC), New Orleans (NO) and Shreveport/BossierCity (SB).

The Baton Rouge casinos consist of the Belle of Baton Rouge, Hollywood Casino, L'Auberge and Evangeline Downs. The Lake Charles casinos include Isle of Capri, L’Auberge du Lac and Delta Downs.New Orleans area casinos are Amelia Belle, Boomtown, Harrah’s (landbased), Treasure Chest and Fairgrounds Raceway. The Shreveport/Bossier city casinos include Boomtown, Diamond Jack’s, Sam’sTown, Eldorado, Horseshoe, and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs.

Here’s information, as supplied by the Louisiana State Police-Riverboat Gaming Section, showing the average electronic machine payback percentages for each area’s casinos for the 12-monthperiod from June 1, 2018, through May 30, 2019:

BR	LC	NO	SB
1¢	88.70%	88.57%	88.96%	89.01%
5¢	91.69%	94.31%	93.31%	93.12%
25¢	92.30%	93.08%	92.43%	90.73%
$1	93.56%	92.33%	92.72%	93.03%
$5	94.49%	92.99%	92.93%	92.70%
All	90.50%	90.63%	90.23%	90.43%

MAINE SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Maine has two racetrack casinos (racinos) that offer electronic gaming machines, as well as live table games.

State gaming regulations require a minimum return of 89% on all machines and during the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average return on gaming machines atHollywood Casino was 90.15% and at Oxford Casino, it was 90.01%.

MARYLAND SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Maryland has five casinos that are allowed to offer electronic gaming machines, as well as live table games. However, Ocean Downs has no table games.

No public information is available about the actual payback percentages on gaming machines in Maryland. However, gaming regulations require a minimum payback of 87% on any one machine and allmachines within a casino must have an average payback of 90% to 95%.

MASSACHUSETTS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill in late 2011 that legalized casinos. The law allows three casinos, in three different geographic regions, plus one slot parlor.

The slot parlor, Plainridge Park Casino, a harness racing track located about 40 miles southwest of Boston, opened June 24, 2015.

The first resort-casino license in Region B (Western Massachusetts) was awarded to MGM Resorts and their $1.3 billion casino, MGM Springfield, opened August 24, 2018.

The second license for Region A (Eastern Massachusetts) was awarded to Wynn Resorts and their $2 billion, Encore Everett, is expected to open in mid-2019. The final license for Region C(Southeastern Massachusetts) had not yet been awarded as of late 2018.

Additionally, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is planning to build a destination resort casino near Taunton. That facility, First Light Casino, was expected to open by late 2019. However, theproject has been hampered by lawsuits that might stop it from being completed.

Massachusetts gaming regulations require a minimum payback of 80% on all gaming machines. From July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the gaming machines at Plainridge Park returned 92.03%,91.39% at MGM Springfield* and 91.49% at Encore.**

* Stats for MGM Springfield began August 23, 2018, when it opened

** Stats for Encore are June 23- July 31, 2019.

MICHIGAN SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

There are 17 Indian casinos in Michigan and the tribes are not required to release information on their slot machine payback percentages. However, according to officials at the Michigan GamingControl Board, which is responsible for overseeing the tribal-state compacts, 'the machines must meet the minimum standards for machines in Nevada or New Jersey.' In Nevada, the minimum returnis 75% and in New Jersey, it's 83%. Therefore, Michigan's Indian casinos must return at least 75% in order to comply with the law.

There are also three privately owned casinos in Detroit, but their slot payback information is not made available to the public.

MINNESOTA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

All Minnesota casinos are located on Indian reservations and under a compact reached with the state the only table games permitted are card games such as blackjack and poker. Additionally, theonly kind of slot machines allowed are electronic video slot machines. Therefore, you will not find any mechanical slots that have traditional reels - only video screens

According to the terms of the compact between the state and the tribes, however, the minimum and maximum payouts are regulated as follows: video poker and video blackjack - 83% to 98%, slotmachines - 80% to 95%, keno - 75% to 95%. Each tribe is free to set its machines to pay back anywhere within those limits and the tribes do not release any information regarding their slotmachine percentage paybacks.

MISSISSIPPI SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

The Mississippi Gaming Commission does not break down its slot statistics by individual properties. Rather, they are classified by region.

The Coastal region includes Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay Saint Louis.

The North region includes Tunica, Greenville, and Lula.

The Central region includes Vicksburg and Natchez.

With that in mind here’s information, as supplied by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, showing the machine payback percentages for each area’s casinos for the one-year period from July 1,2018, through June 30, 2019:

Coastal	North	Central
1¢ Slots	91.99%	91.95%	91.73%
5¢ Slots	94.78%	94.96%	95.73%
25¢ Slots	93.91%	92.41%	93.78%
$1 Slots	93.28%	93.51%	94.10%
$5 Slots	93.78%	95.16%	95.52%
All	92.18%	91.87%	92.32%

MISSOURI SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Here's information from the Missouri Gaming Commission regarding the payback percentages for each casino's electronic machines for the 12-month period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:

CASINO	PAYBACK %
Ameristar- St. Charles	91.0
River City	90.6
Hollywood	90.6
Ameristar- K.C.	90.4
Harrah’s - N.K.C	90.1
Lumiere Place	90.0
Isle of Capri - Booneville	90.1
Argosy	89.9
Isle of Capri - Cape Girardeau	89.7
Lady Luck	89.3
Isle of Capri - K.C.	88.9
St. Jo Frontier	88.9
Mark Twain	88.7

These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines including slot machines, video poker, video keno, etc.

MONTANA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Montana law permits bars and taverns to have up to 20 video gaming devices that play video poker, video keno, or video bingo. These machines are operated in partnership with the state and arenot permitted to pay out in cash; instead, they print out a receipt which must be taken to a cashier. The maximum bet on these machines is $2 and the maximum payout is limited to $800. Montanagaming regulations require these machines to return a minimum of 80%.

There are seven Indian casinos offering video gaming machines that also print out a receipt. The maximum bet on these machines is $5 and the maximum payout is capped at $1,500. According toMontana's Gambling Control Division, there are no minimum payback percentages required for gaming machines on Indian reservations.

NEBRASKA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

No public information is available concerning the payback percentages on gaming machines in Nebraska.

NEVADA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

NEVADA - Lake Tahoe

Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the south shore casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2017 and ending June 30, 2018:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	88.94
25¢ Slots	91.24
$1 Slots	92.55
All Slots	93.33

And here's that same information for the north shore casinos:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	92.81
25¢ Slots	91.40
$1 Slots	91.52
All Slots	94.29

These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned to the players on each denomination of machine. All electronic machines including slots, video poker and video keno are included in thesenumbers.

NEVADA - Las Vegas

Unlike New Jersey, the Nevada Gaming Control Board does not break down its slot statistics by individual properties. Rather, they are classified by area.

The annual gaming revenue report breaks the Las Vegas market down into two major tourist areas: the Strip and downtown. There is also a very large locals market in Las Vegas and those casinosare shown in the gaming revenue report as the Boulder Strip and North Las Vegas areas.

When choosing where to do your slot gambling, you may want to keep in mind the following slot payback percentages for Nevada's fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and ending June 30, 2019:

1¢ Slot Machines
The Strip - 88.33%
Downtown - 88.96%
Boulder Strip - 90.53%
N. Las Vegas - 90.79%

5¢ Slot Machines
The Strip - 91.96%
Downtown - 93.32%
Boulder Strip - 96.30%
N. Las Vegas - 95.24%

25¢ Slot Machines
The Strip - 89.34%
Downtown - 93.91%
Boulder Strip - 95.77%
N. Las Vegas - 96.27%

$1 Slot Machines
The Strip - 92.34%
Downtown - 94.12%
Boulder Strip - 95.49%
N. Las Vegas - 95.62%

$1 Megabucks Machines
The Strip - 87.31%
Downtown - 86.40%
Boulder Strip - 87.61%
N. Las Vegas - 86.98%

All Slot Machines
The Strip - 91.84%
Downtown - 92.22%
Boulder Strip - 94.26%
N. Las Vegas - 93.34%

These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned to the players on each denomination of machine. All electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno are included in thesenumbers and the highest-paying returns are shown in bold print. As you can see, the machines in downtown Las Vegas pay out slightly more than those located on the Las Vegas Strip.

Returns even better than the downtown casinos can be found at some of the other local casinos along Boulder Highway, such as Boulder Station and Sam's Town and also in the North Las Vegasarea which would include the Fiesta, Santa Fe and Texas Station casinos. Not only are those numbers among the best returns in the Las Vegas area, but they are also among the best paybackpercentages for anywhere in the United States.

NEVADA - Laughlin

Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of Laughlin’s casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2018, and ending June 30, 2019:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	89.11
5¢ Slots	92.59
25¢ Slots	93.44
$1 Slots	94.92
$1 Megabucks	88.27
$5 Slots	94.33
All Slots	92.15

NEVADA - Reno

Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the Reno area casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017and ending June 30, 2018:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	92.69
5¢ Slots	95.10
25¢ Slots	92.16
$1 Slots	95.38
$1 Megabucks	87.40
$5 Slots	95.06
All Slots	94.56

These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno.

NEVADA - Sparks

Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the Sparks area casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2018, and ending June 30, 2019:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	92.98
5¢ Slots	97.19
25¢ Slots	95.43
$1 Slots	96.17
$5 Slots	97.32
All Slots	94.55

These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno.

NEVADA - Wendover

Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the Wendover area casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2018 and ending June 30, 2019:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	93.41
5¢ Slots	96.80
25¢ Slots	93.34
$1 Slots	95.86
$5 Slots	96.39
All Slot	94.32

These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including slots, video poker and video keno.

NEW JERSEY SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Following is information from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission regarding average slot payout percentages for the 12-month period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:

CASINO	PAYBACK
Harrah’s	91.79
Borgata	91.66
Hard Rock	91.41
Caesars	91.03
Bally's A.C.	90.76
Golden Nugget	90.57
Resorts	90.78
Tropicana	90.35
Ocean Resort	90.49

These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines which includes slot machines, video poker, etc.

NEW MEXICO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

New Mexico's Indian casinos offer an assortment of table games and electronic gaming machines. Additionally, slot machines are allowed at the state's racetracks as well as at about 40 variousfraternal and veterans clubs.

New Mexico gaming regulations require that electronic machines at racetracks and fraternal/veterans organizations return a minimum of 80%.

New Mexico's Indian tribes do not make their slot machine payback percentages a matter of public record but the terms of the compact between the state and the tribes require all electronicgaming machines to also return a minimum of 80%.

NEW YORK SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

There are several Indian casinos located in upstate New York which offer traditional Class III casino gambling.

The terms of the compact between the tribes and the state allow table games and slot machines, including video keno and video poker. These machines do not pay out in cash. Instead, they printout a receipt which must be exchanged for cash.

There are also some Indian casinos that offer Class II gambling which consist of electronic gaming machines which look like slot machines, but are actually games of bingo and the spinning videoreels are for 'entertainment purposes only.' No public information is available concerning the payback percentages on gaming machines at Indian casinos.

Here’s information, as supplied by the New York Gaming Commission, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the casinos for the fiscal year from April 1, 2018, through March31, 2019:

LOCATION	PAYBACK %
Tioga Downs	91.62
Resort's World Catskills	91.40
Del Lago	90.94
Rivers	90.50

In October 2001, legislation was passed to allow for the introduction of slot machine-type video lottery machines at New York racetracks. Officially referred to as Video Gaming Machines(VGM’s), they are regulated by the New York State Lottery Division.

All VGM's offer standard slot machine-type games, plus keno in denominations from five cents to $10. The machines all accept cash but do not pay out in cash. They print a receipt which must betaken to a cashier.

The legislation authorizing the VGM’s states, “the specifications for video lottery gaming shall be designed in such a manner as to pay prizes that average no less than ninety percent ofsales.”

Here's information, as supplied by the New York Lottery, showing the video gaming machine payback percentages for each of the state's racetracks for the fiscal year from April 1,2018, through March 31, 2019:

LOCATION	PAYBACK %
Resorts World	94.16
Jake's 58	93.73
Empire City	93.06
Monticello	92.40
Saratoga	92.35
Finger Lakes	92.12
Batavia Downs	91.66
Fairgrounds	91.66
Vernon Downs	91.74

NORTH CAROLINA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

North Carolina has two Indian casinos and both are affiliated with the state's Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians which signed a compact with the state. According to the terms of thecompact, the video gaming machines are required to return a minimum of 83% and a maximum of 98%.

NORTH DAKOTA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

North Dakota has more than 800 sites throughout the state that offer blackjack, with betting limits of $1-$25, for the benefit of charities.

There are also six Indian casinos which are limited by law to the following maximum bet limits: blackjack-$100 (two tables in a casino may have limits up to $250), craps-$60, roulette-$50,slots/video poker-$25 and poker-$50 per bet, per round with a maximum of three rounds.

The terms of the state's compact with the tribes require gaming machines to return a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 100%. However, if a machine is affected by skill, such as video poker orvideo blackjack, the machines must return a minimum of 83%.

OHIO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Ohio voters passed a statewide referendum in November 2009 to allow one casino to open in each of four major cities: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo. There are also seven racetracksthat offer video lottery terminals.

Here’s information from the Ohio Casino Control Commission regarding the payback percentages for each racino and casino’s electronic machines for the twelve-month period from July 1,2018, through June 30, 2019:

CASINO	PAYBACK %
JACK Cleveland
Hollywood Columbus	92.09
JACK Cincinnati
Miami Valley	90.73
Belterra Park
MGM Northfield	91.09
Eldorado Gaming
Hollywood Toledo	90.73
JACK Thistledown
Hollywood Dayton	90.27
Mahoning Valley

OKLAHOMA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

All Oklahoma Indian casinos are allowed to offer both Class II and Class III gaming machines.

Most casinos offer only Class II machines which look like slot machines, but are actually games of bingo and the spinning video reels are for 'entertainment purposes only.' Some casinos alsooffer traditional Class III slots.

In either case, the gaming machines are not allowed to accept or payout in coins. All payouts must be done by a printed receipt or via an electronic debit card. No public information isavailable concerning the payback percentages on gaming machines in Oklahoma.

OREGON SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Oregon law permits bars and taverns to have up to six video lottery terminals that offer various versions of video poker. Racetracks are allowed to have no more than 10 machines. The maximumbet allowed is $2.50 and the maximum single payout on any machine is capped at $600.

These machines are the same as regular video gaming devices but are called lottery terminals because they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission which receives a share of eachmachine’s revenue. The machines accept cash but do not pay out in cash; instead, they print out a receipt which must be taken to a cashier.

According to figures from the Oregon Lottery, during its fiscal year from June 28, 2018, through June 25, 2019, the VLT’s had an approximate return of 92.34%.

There are nine Indian casinos in operation in Oregon. According to the governor’s office which regulates the Tribe’s compacts, 'there is no minimum payback percentage required on the Tribe’smachines. Each Tribe is free to set their own limits on their machines.'

PENNSYLVANIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Pennsylvania gaming regulations require that gaming machines return a minimum of 85%.

The following is information from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regarding average slot payout percentages for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:

CASINO	PAYBACK %
Parx Casino	90.70
Valley Forge	90.68
The Meadows	90.14
Mount Airy	90.31
Sugar House	90.03
Wind Creek Bethlehem	90.09
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs	89.90
Harrah's Philadelphia	89.82
The Rivers	89.87
Lady Luck Nemacolin	89.34
Hollywood Casino at Penn National	89.38
Presque Isle	89.31

RHODE ISLAND SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Rhode Island has two pari-mutuel facilities which both feature video lottery terminals (VLT’s). These machines are the same as regular video gaming devices but are called lottery terminalsbecause they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission which receives a share of each machine’s revenue. The machines accept cash but don’t pay out in cash; instead, they print out areceipt which must be taken to a cashier.

All VLT’s are programmed to play at least six different games: blackjack, keno, slots and three versions of poker (jacks or better, joker poker and deuces wild).

According to figures from the Rhode Island Lottery for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average VLT return at Twin River was 92.10% and at Tiverton, it was91.63%.

SOUTH CAROLINA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

South Carolina has two gambling cruise ships which sail three miles out into international waters where casino gambling is permitted. Since the casino boats travel in international waters theyare free from regulations and the machines can be set to pay back whatever the operators want without regard to a minimum payback percentage.

SOUTH DAKOTA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Here are statistics from the South Dakota Commission on Gaming for the payback percentages on all of Deadwood’s slot machines for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30,2019:

Denomination	Payback %
1¢ Slots	90.73
5¢ Slots	93.56
25¢ Slots	91.18
$1 Slots	92.58
$5 Slots	92.51
Average	91.05

In addition to the Deadwood casinos, there are also nine Indian casinos in South Dakota. No information is available on the payback percentages of the video gaming machines.

TEXAS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Texas has one Indian casino which offers gaming machines based on bingo. It also offers pull tab machines, bingo, poker and a player-banked blackjack game where each player must pay acommission to the house for each bet that is made. The commission is 50¢ for $3-$50 bets and $1 for bets over $50. The minimum gambling age is 21 and the casino is open 24 hours daily.

Class II video gaming devices look like slot machines, but are actually bingo games and the spinning reels are for “entertainment purposes only.” No public information is available concerningthe payback percentages on any gaming machines in Texas’ Indian casino.

WASHINGTON SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

There are 28 Indian casinos operating in Washington and they all have compacts with the state allowing them to offer table games, as well as electronic ‘scratch’ ticket games which use a finitenumber of tickets with a predetermined number of winners and losers.

All of the state’s Tribes are not required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks. However, according to the terms of the compact between the Tribes and the state, theminimum prize payout for electronic ‘scratch’ ticket games is 75%.

WEST VIRGINIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

West Virginia has four pari-mutuel facilities and one resort hotel that feature video lottery terminals. The VLT’s are the same as regular video gaming devices but are called lottery terminalsbecause they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission which receives a share of each machine’s revenue.

Mohegan Sun Casino

West Virginia law requires that VLT’s return a minimum of 80% to a maximum of 95%. VLT games include slots, blackjack, keno and numerous versions of poker. The minimum gambling age is 21.

For the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average return on VLT’s was: 88.97% at Mountaineer Park, 90.81% at Mardi Gras, 89.46% at Wheeling Island, 89.53%at Charles Town Races.

WISCONSIN SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

All Wisconsin casinos are located on Indian reservations and the Indian tribes are not required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks. However, according to the termsof the compact between the state and the tribes 'for games not affected by player skill, such as slot machines, the machine is required to return a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 100% of theamount wagered.'

WYOMING SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS

Wyoming has Indian casinos that offer Class II bingo-type gaming machines, plus traditional Class III slot machines.

The machines don't pay out in cash. Instead they print out a receipt which must be cashed by a floor attendant or taken to the cashier's cage. You can also make bets via a cashless systemwhereby you get a 'smart' card and deposit money to that card's account. The machines will then deducts losses from, or credit wins to, your account.