learntoplayslotmachines.com

I always make it my duty to try and understand a point of view that makes absolutely no sense to me.  In my search for understanding I am not seeking to agree with that particular point of view simply to understand why it is held.  Such a case is that of the state governments that seek to ban electronic bingo as slot machines even though they allow bingo legally in their state.  I know it sounds confusing, but these people there is a difference between what is called paper bingo and electronic bingo.  In my opinion paper or not, bingo is very similar to that of a slot machine.  Numbers are called at random as people try to line up a winning pattern.  The only difference with electronic bingo is that the pace of the game is faster and the computer fills in the squares for you.

The only reasons I can think that people would have legitimate reason for thinking these games are different is because of the pace of the game is faster.  Pacing has a lot to do with a game effecting peoples impulsive side.  But even that I have a hard time digesting as the pace of bingo can be pretty rapid.  Another reason that people might oppose electronic bingo and still accept paper bingo is the human error issue.  There is no room for human error on and electronic bingo game.  However, paper bingo does not just require chance it requires paying attention.  Missing a number could cost you a win.

International Game Technology may have developed a brand new business strategy and if they have not, they need to.  Not every state has legalize Las Vegas style slot machines.  These are known as Class III slot machines.  Class III slot machines are games of complete and total chance, there is no strategy involved what so ever.  There are also Class II slot machines which largely electronic bingo machines.  There are several states that have legalized bingo so some forward thinking gambling operators will bring in electronic bingo machines into their gaming hall and give it the feel of gambling at slot machines in a full service casino.  That bit of innovation has caused a lot of trouble.

Due to the fact that the game of bingo in electronic form is very similar to Class III slot machines and the fact that the casing for the machines are exactly identical.  Many state governments have attempted to crack down on these operators that or offering a service within in the law, but it appears that they are breaking the law. I know it sounds silly, but it is happening.  Slots manufactures like International Game Technology would probably be more successful with their Class II game if they did not try to make them look like slot machines.  A completely different casing from that of their slot machines would likely make the government less inclined to pick on the machines in the first place.  Appearance goes a long way.  If nothing else operators might feel more safe caring the equipment.

Yes.  People are that stupid.  I hate to sound cynical, but it is true.  People respond very strongly to what they see.  This is a point that has been driven home on many occasions.  During the Presidential campaign that got Kennedy elected, appearance played a huge role.  This was the first time the presidential debates were being televised and the rules were still being made.  Nixon passed on the make up job, thinking it was silly, while Kennedy, already a pretty boy, got done up.  The result was Nixon looking weathered, shadowy, and sinister and Kennedy getting elected.  Not that Kennedy did not deserve his presidency, but there is no denying appearance took part in that moment in history and continues to do so to this day.

In Alabama, part of the reason that the electronic bingo machines are allowed to operate once more after Governor Bill Riley attacked them as illegal slot machines is because they look a lot different now.  At first the games very much closely resembled a Las Vegas slot machine console.  That may be the only reason they drew so much heat.  Now, however, they look more like a computer console.  It is much more difficult to consider them illegal slot machines when they appear more like playing bingo on a desktop computer.  I still think it is extremely silly that it took changing the appearance of the game, rather than the game itself to suddenly make them legal.  Like I said people can be that stupid sometimes.

I am a guitarist.  It feels good to finally say that.  I have been working very hard on developing my skills, particularly as a blues guitarist.  Part of my training has been stealing moves from the greats.  Luckily for me, Netflix decided to offer Eric Clapton’s Crossroads guitar concert on free streaming.  There are only so many tricks that each generation has with playing blues guitar and all of these guys know every last one of them.  What I have found to be the difference is presentation.  I was once told people hear what they see and that appears to be the case because the most animated guitarist seem to make the biggest impression on the crowd while some of the older guys sound great but do not seem to be tearing into their guitars quite as much.  It is not that these animated young guys are better, people just like to see them play, making their sound sound better.

The idea of people hearing what they reminds me of what is happening in Alabama right now.  While Governor Bob Riley was in office he was hellbent on shutting down the gambling venues that offered electronic gambling because they too closely resembled slot machines.  Now those venues are still open but they have completely changed the look of their games.  They look more like computer console than they do casino games.  This subtle change to casing of the same software seems to be enough to put everyone at ease about whether these games are electronic bingo or slot machines.

There is definitely something to be said for what is happening in Alabama right now.  What people tend to forget is that the government, both at the state and federal level, are in place to serve the people.  Legislators are not supposed to just put laws in place that they feel is right, but they are supposed to be a Representative of the will of the people.  That was not what was happening several month ago when Governor Bob Riley of Alabama was hellbent on destroying the electronic bingo industry because he suddenly felt they were actually illegal slot machines.  These venues had been open for years before he suddenly decided to turn on them.  It was not as though he came into office with the intention of closing them down.

A majority of the people in Alabama were perfectly content with bingo halls like Victoryland.  As a matter of fact in some counties law enforcement said they would barricade the doors of these venues if the Governor’s task force came knocking.  This does not sound like the will of the people is being upheld to me.  In many of these poor rural counties these gambling venues were the largest employers.  It is no mystery that they preferred to keep these venues open, especially during the recession.  However, Governor Riley is now out of the gubernatorial office and the gaming halls are back open for business.  This should be a firm reminder to everyone, both residents and representatives, that politicians are temporary, but the will of the people stands forever.

Here Alabama was in the midst of a recession and their governor decided that now was the time to go on the attack to try and rid the state of what he considered illegal slot machines.  The only problem with that is that these so called slot machines were operating in the state for years without anyone so much as making a squeak about them and ultimately they were jobs.  Jobs are perhaps one of the most important an rarest commodities in during a recession and the governor was contributing to taking jobs away over an issue that not even local law enforcement had a problem with.  In fact in some state law enforcement swore to protect these gambling venues if they were threatened by a raid from the state.

Slot machines or electronic bingo machines, whatever you choose to call them, there were thousands of them operating openly in the state for years.  Governor Bob Riley had an opportunity to work with these companies instead of taking the prohibition route.  Here are these major companies operating in the open and providing honest work for thousands of people.  All he had to do was try to make sure that legislation upheld the legality of these venues and bolster this industry.  This would have made a lot more sense, especially since several states around the nation were expanding their gambling offerings with slot machines in order to generate more revenue during the recession.  Alabama already had the infrastructure in place and choose not to capitalize on it.

The recession did not really catch up with me personally until about a few months ago.  One of my main forms of employment forced me to reduce my hours.  It was a pain for sure.  It left me in a position where I was scrambling for whatever job I could find.  But I have noticed a change in the air of late.  I am reading the news and the unemployment rate is back down to 8.5 percent.  The lowest it has been in three years.  The lowest it has been since President Barack Obama has been in office.  I am also noticing that employment opportunities are opening up for myself and people in my life.  People are even bold enough to want to go out and look for new work.  This is a positive thing because it means people are optimistic and confident and believe it or not people leaving old jobs makes room for other people to find work.

This is why it does not surprise me that Alabama seems to be turning their back on the former Governor Bob Riley who spent his last days in office determined to shut down the electronic gambling halls in Alabama because he was convinced that the games being offered were illegal slot machines.  Now all of those venues have reopened and there does not seem to be anyone interested in shutting them down again.  I have to assume that most of the state is just happy to have people back at work and making money.

There were several things I never quite understood about how Governor Bob Riley handled the electronic gaming in his state while he was in office.  It seemed very bizarre to me that a governor would devote his last year to ending an industry in his state that he had completely turned a blind eye to for most of his term as Governor.  It is the reason I am prone to believing the accusations that he was doing a favor for campaign contributors from the gambling industry a state over.  But the biggest issue I had a hard time digesting is why he would attack and industry that was providing thousands of jobs for residents and why of all times would he do it during a recession.

However, those days are done.  It appears that operators in Alabama, whether their machines are considered electronic bingo or slot machines, are now free to open without the fear of a sudden police raid headed up by John Tyson.  This means that thousands of Alabama residents are back to work again and especially in the rural areas where work is often very hard to find.  It is wonderful to see things like this.  There is a very positive wave in the air about the American job market.  Everywhere you look it seems like employment opportunities are starting to open back up for people  This is just one small example of that. Let us hope that all of American can finally get back to work and really drive down this unemployment rate.

It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of reporting on gambling in Alabama.  That is probably because as of several months ago it seemed like it was curtains for what little of a gambling industry that the state had.  Governor Bob Riley in his last year has Governor decided to go on a crusade against electronic bingo operators.  Riley claimed it was because these venues were breaking the law, but the fact is that places like Victoryland had been operating for years without legal complaint and provided many jobs in the state.  Many people suspect that the real reason for Riley’s attack on electronic bingo machines was not because he felt they were actually slot machines in disguise but because he was doing a favor for the tribal casinos in neighboring states that contributed to his campaign.

However, Riley’s term as governor is now long over and it looks as if electronic bingo is coming back with a vengeance.  Victoryland owner Milton McGregor was acquitted of the gambling conspiracy charges held against him during Riley’s term.  McGregor made it clear that he planned on reopening his bingo venues anyway.  Several other electronic bingo venues in the state have reopened their doors.  As far as I can tell, this is a good thing for Alabama.  The state will once again profit from gambling revenues and more importantly this means thousands of Alabama residents can get back to work.  These bingo venues were especially helpful in bring jobs to the rural parts of Alabama.

States had better take advantage of slot machines while they still can.  Since the recession and a little before the number of slot machines in the country have blossomed.  There are more slot machines operating in the United States than there are ATMs.  The essentially means that more people are putting money into gambling than they are taking money out of their account to spend on other goods.  However, slot machines will not always be the big money maker that they have been for states like Nevada and New Jersey.  This is not because people will suddenly stop gambling.  People will always gamble, it is just that the wealth is being spread around as access to slot machines is becoming more main stream.

There was a time that the only place to get full casino action was in Nevada.  By the 1970s that spread out to New Jersey.  But even then it was just two places.  Now almost every state in the country has some sort of casino gambling.  That means that markets are no longer as exclusive and with such a major saturation of slot machines, revenues at long established venues are declining significantly.  Casinos can still be expected to make a lot of money in most locations, but once they have more competition within a few miles of each other, then they cannot expect to bring down the big bucks like most states expect them to do.  Slot machines are starting to become as popular as grocery stores.