Set back for the Poker Slots

Slots fans are going to be hit hard by new legislation that is currently being formed to regulate the running of slot machine parlours throughout several counties in Nevada, in particular: Clark County.

The Clark County Commission has, for the past few years, been drafting and lobbying for changes in the legislation to slowly obliterate the slot machine industry. Some of the rules they plan on imposing are to restrict the amount of revenue that a parlour makes from slots to no more than 50 percent. Another rule is to make sure that a parlour offers refreshments (food and beverage) for patrons to purchase.

Legislation like that is likely to have an autocratic effect on parlours, by forcing them to change their revenue methods. Many owners claim that the commission are just trying to legislate them out of business.

Craig Estey, owner of slot parlour ‘Dotty’s’ has already forecasted the closure of 34 of his businesses in the area and the loss of hundreds of jobs. But the problem won’t stop there; many tourists love to play the slot machines while travelling through Nevada, and therefore we can predict a loss of many tourists to the area.

The purpose of the new law is to make the revenues of slot machines be only minor compared to the overall revenue of businesses like “Dotty’s” which are licensed bars and not actual casinos.

This potential change comes after a major new law in the United Kingdom, earlier this year, which created a maximum amount that can be staked at a slot machine per game. The new law permits that only £50 can be inserted into an electronic machine. The purpose of this was to slow down the amount of cash spent per minute.

So what does this mean for the future of slot machines? Gamers, both regular, and tourists can expect to see some major changes coming for slots as they become increasingly difficult for patrons to run. This shows a growing trend towards censorship and control over betting, and potentially the loss of novelty and excitement in playing the game.