Pachislo illegal in Connecticut

[gwarzin]

Here's the text of an article that appeared on theday.com on 1/20/2005:

3-Button Slots Not Legal Here

Connecticut residents who want their own slot machines are out of luck.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has determined that three-button machines sold by a few retailers in the state as novelty devices are illegal. Known as Pachislo machines, they look like casino slot machines except they have three buttons on the front that control three separate reels and accept tokens rather than coins. They were previously used in Japanese casinos and refurbished for sale in the United States.

Blumenthal issued an opinion on the machines earlier this month in response to a query last year by the state Division of Special Revenue, the agency that regulates legalized gambling in Connecticut. Special revenue officials feared the slot machines violated the state's agreement with the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegan Indians to allow “video facsimile games or other commercial casino games” only at the tribes' casinos in exchange for 25 percent of slot machine revenues.

Blumenthal concurred and said the state would ban the machines.

“We have taken steps to inform state and local police about the ban because they have responsibility to enforce it,” Blumenthal said Wednesday.

Owning one of the machines constitutes possession of an illegal gambling device, which is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and a $2,000 fine. Blumenthal said multiple violations could be charged should somebody possess several machines.

A year ago, several of the devices were on display at Hartford Safe & Lock on the Silas Deane Highway in Wethersfield. A woman who answered the phone at the store Wednesday said they usually only sell them during the holidays and that she was unsure whether there are any in stock. She said she was unaware of Blumenthal's opinion.

Retailers of Pachislo devices and other types of slot machines can easily be found on the Internet. One is located in Coventry, R.I., just about 30 miles from the state border. The Web site, USASlots.com, says the company is not responsible if the machine ends up in a state where it is illegal.

The retailers say the Pachislo machines are games of skill rather than games of chance like casino slot machines because a player could learn to stop all three reels in a winning position. They say the machines are toys because they accept tokens rather than coins.

Philadelphian Bruce Mitchell, who sells Pachislos and several other types of slot machines over the Internet through the Web site slotsdirect.com, said he would abide by the ruling even though he disagrees with it. Mitchell said he is licensed by the U.S. Department of Justice to sell slot machines in states where they are legal. He said attorneys general in California and Colorado, both states that have casino gambling, have issued opinions similar to Blumenthal's.

All types of slot machines are legal in some other states, including Nevada.

“They're no more of a gambling device than an online video game,” he said of the Pachislo machines. “Yes, they do look like slot machines, but that's as far as it goes. They don't use real money and they're ‘skill-stop.' ''

Blumenthal's opinion said the element of chance is predominant in the three-button slots.

“An argument could be made that because the player of a three button slot machine can stop the spinning reels manually, a person of great quickness of hand and eye and exquisite timing could cause the machine to stop on three matching images resulting in a win,” he wrote. “(But) ... it is highly improbable that skill could influence the game because the reels spin so quickly.”

He noted that the machines could easily be converted to accept coins and that they are illegal here even when they accept tokens.

[Utopia1dc]

Don't these politicians have anything better to do? Maybe they should sit down and balance the budget, do something in Health Care reform, Tax reform, catch REAL criminals, etc...... :twisted:

[luckydog]

we need to get some of these old party poopers out of office.

and get some younger guys in who like to have some fun.

[Firewire]

They probably should shut down Chucke Cheese while they are at it..... :twisted:

[gwarzin]

What we need is laws passed in each state that specifically deal with pachislos. It should say:

They are legal for personal use only.
They may not be used in any commercial establishment - with the exception of a retail store in which they are for sale.
They may not be converted to accept coins.
They may not be used for gambling. That is you can not charge for, or redeem the tokens.

The problem is that technically pachislos do fit the definition of a gambling device as most states define it. But is just plain stupid to make them illegal. You could make a case that the personal ownership of pachislos actually decreases gambling. People that own them would be less motivated to go to a casino.

So we have a "catch 22." Politicians can be against these "gambling devices" on moral grounds. But, since pachislos could actually keep people from gambling, the moral grounds become bogus. However, the politicians won't care about this, because it's not really a moral issue to them, it's a revenue issue. They don't actually want people to stay home playing pachislos. They want them gambling and generating revenue.

The only way we are going to get any favorable laws passed is to make a a lot of noise about this immoral position being taken by state officials.

[arbycoffee]

25% of the of slot machine revenues

[slotter]

Coming soon to IA. They are already setting this up, Arby. Can't have any potential gambling money going to anyone else other than the government and the politicians ya know. :cry:

From today's Des Moines Register. The first step:

Competition is hurting lottery, chief says

By TIM HIGGINS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
January 27, 2005
The state's lottery is facing stiff competition from legal video games and illegal lotteries run by taverns, convenience stores and other establishments at a cost to taxpayers of about $12 million so far, the state's top lottery official told lawmakers Wednesday.

Ed Stanek, Iowa Lottery Authority chief executive, said Iowa's new video pull-tab machines, made available statewide last year, have not generated as much as previously expected because of competition from video games that pay out prizes.

Another problem is that impostor lottery tickets, being sold under the guise of coupons, have increased in sales, he said.

The result of the legal and illegal games means the state saw its sale of traditional pull-tab tickets drop 11 percent in the past six months, Stanek said.

Last year, it was down 10 percent - at a cost of about $5 million to $6 million to the state's general fund.

Stanek wants legislation that would make it easier for prosecutors to go after the illegal lottery games, saying the current law is cumbersome and unclear. The Lottery has proposed House Study Bill 64 to address the matter.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Matt McCoy, a Des Moines Democrat, said he wants to ban the legal video games that are competing with the state's new video lottery game.

"Shut them down," McCoy said. "Make it under the direction of the Iowa Lottery."

Currently, there are 422 video lottery games in the state, which have generated $2.3 million in net sales. When the Lottery rolled out the games last April, officials had hoped to place 4,000 of the machines in age-controlled settings, such as bars, which would have generated an additional $6.5 million.

But the rollout has been hampered because it's cheaper for a business to go with the video games, Stanek said. "The amusement industry has a competing product line," he told reporters. Representatives of the game industry, however, say they are pumping money into the economy through sales tax and license fees.

"Those (video) machines were in existence before the Lottery started those games, so did the Lottery take money away from the amusement people or did the amusement people take money away from the Lottery people? It's hard to say," said Ned Chiodo, a lobbyist for the Iowa Association of Music and Amusement Machine Operators.

During the past two legislative sessions, lawmakers have increased regulation of the video games, requiring registration and making it illegal for anyone under age 21 to play.

To be legal, the machines can offer only credits for merchandise or other noncash prizes valued at $5 or less.

The tavern games are regulated by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.

[arbycoffee]

yup

I can see it comming, next they will be taking my titty winks away too!

[TatooedLady]

Meanwhile, state Sen. Matt McCoy, a Des Moines Democrat, said he wants to ban the legal video games that are competing with the state's new video lottery game.

"Shut them down," McCoy said. "Make it under the direction of the Iowa Lottery."

Isn't the forced closure of all competition equal to creating a monopoly? And...isn't the monopolization of something public (like GAMES and other general merriment causers) illegal? I seem to recall way back when, when the phone company caught california because of something along those lines...maybe it's not monopoly because it's not a country-wide thing, only state level?

[Tulsa]

It's not a monopoly because it's the government and not private industry.

[Davis]

This is a ll a joke to me, even if a cop came to your house, hed be more likely to play them than arrest you for them!

[arbycoffee]

My luck it would be "officer Hard asz" trying to make a name for his lack of Penis length.

[azlew]

ahhh just say the hell with it and sell them anyway. nobody going to catch ya unless you promote them as Real Genuine Quarter Accepting FULL SIZE Slot Machines.
Rules are made to be broken = that's what has made this country great right :wink:

[astroboy2001]

This is an example of politicians with nothing better to do with their time than to pick on something that is so irrelevant to the grand scheme of everyone's existence. Why is it that there are no laws banning Pachislo's in 48 other states that Connecticut, California and whoever are the ONLY states that have an issue? The fact is, these machines are used for entertainment purposes and if used for home use, there should be NOTHING illegal with owning a Pachislo.

The argument that it is a game of chance doesn't hold water. So what? It's being used for home use. Again, not for gambling! Should they ban dice? Should they ban my playing cards? Maybe they should ban off the shelf Bingo games? Why don't they go further and ban my son's Chutes and Ladders too? These are all games of chance. And anyone can put a wager on any of these games? What are they going to do with coins? You can flip those and use them as a game of chance to bet money. Take away all coins too, Mr. Politician!

Then they say it can be modified. That argument can be made for ANYTHING. You can take basic household chemicals like those frickin terrorists and make a liquid bomb. They should ban any and all solutions that can be modified then right? They should ban fertilizer because that can be modified and used to make a bomb too.

C'mon idiotic Mr. Politician. Find a real life and make yourself useful with our tax dollars! Picking on people who own or want to own a Pachislo because it is an enjoyable form of amusement with no intention of gambling is bullcrap.

[slothappy144]

First problem is the wording Japanese casinos, gambeling is illegal in Japan, = not a casino.
The opinion of an old booger eater that the reels spin too fast is same as the late 80's logic the cars can go too fast, any car capable of traveling ove 70 mph would be illegal.
Show them the video of Willie eye shooting, they might get it.
Ignorance is our major enemy.

[johntofva]

Welcome to Pachitalk Astroboy.

[Eddie]

Lets start a petition before Pachislos go the way of the PocketBikes!!!!

Its time to stop the American Taliban before we are all living in caves and subservent to morals based on ancient absence of reason and understanding.



If ever a case comes up dealing with Pachisols I will volunteer as a witness and will eyeshoot any machine they want (As long as it hasnt been tampered with by a DA etc)

I just hope they wouldnt choose Milion GOD OR WE WOULD ALL BE DOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh the irony.
Instead of Pachi Salvation MillionGod could be our ruin!!!!!!!!!!!!

[azlew]

...Show them the video of Willie eye shooting, they might get it.
Ignorance is our major enemy.

I agree that the videos of Willie eye shooting will be something to show the powers to be. What a great example of skill Willie shows in playing Pachislos

[slotter]

Good rant! Haha! And, WELCOME, Astroboy.

[slothappy144]

oh ya don't put me on my Neo planetT can't hit jack on that!
or the slippery King camel!