Legal Electronic Bingo Slot Machines

The Digbingo Z (Black) Electronic Bingo Machine by Hanayama. 3.2 out of 5 stars 248. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 10. FREE Shipping by Amazon. Only 2 left in stock - order soon. Other options New from $36.80. Ages: 6 years and up. Royal Bingo Supplies EZ-Reset Professional Steel Tabletop Bingo with 75 Carved Wooden Balls, Cage. An electronic, high-stakes bingo game doesn't fall under the definition of casino gambling and is legal in Oklahoma, a Tulsa federal judge has ruled. The ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Terry.

Many gambling enthusiasts in the United States are at least vaguely familiar with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, US law Pub.L. 100–497, 25 U.S.C. § 2701.

Passed in 1988, this federal law established how Indian (Native American) gaming would be managed and regulated. The act included definitions for 3 types or classes of gambling games. They are usually referred to as:

  1. Class I games
  2. Class II games
  3. Class III games

Congress passed the law to help Native American tribes and nations improve their economic status after more than a century of oppression and exclusion in mainstream US society. Many Native American groups wanted to build land-based casinos, which would not only attract tourists but create jobs.

Legal Electronic Bingo Slot Machines Jackpots

Electronic bingo machine

There was considerable resistance to this movement in many states, most of which did not allow gambling of any kind. To help resolve the conflicts and provide some clarity between treaties, state law, and federal law, the US government established a framework that eliminated some barriers to Native American investment in gambling industries. The law also provided some regulatory limits to respect state laws.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act introduced some confusion into the worldwide lexicon of gambling games because the distinctions are only observed within US jurisdictions. Other nations regulate gambling with different definitions.

But as the internet became a worldwide communications network in the 1990s and 2000s, most of the content published about gambling dealt with US law and casinos. Although non-US casinos have to observe their own laws and regulations, players who research gambling law on the internet must be careful to distinguish between USA gambling definitions and other gambling definitions.

What Are the 3 Classes of Gambling Games?

Class I gambling includes all traditional Native American gambling games, most of which are only used for ceremonial purposes or in the contexts of cultural-specific celebrations and ceremonies. These games, which are only available at small stakes, are completely regulated by the Native American tribes and nations.

Class II gambling includes all variations of bingo games, player-vs-player card games like poker (where the house does not play a hand in the game), tip jars, pull-tab games, punch card games, and anything similar. Some people mistakenly include lottery games in this category, but the law clearly excludes state-run lotteries and similar games from Class II.

Class III gambling consists of everything that is not included under Class I gambling or Class II gambling. That means the lottery games you play are Class III gambling games. Slot games, roulette, dice games, and card games like blackjack where the house is also a player all fall under the Class III gambling games category.

So How Can There Be Class II Slot Machine Games?

If you’ve ever visited a Native American casino–like the Winstar Casino in Oklahoma, you’ve almost certainly played some Class II slot machine games. They look much like traditional slot machine games. They have 3 to 5reels with symbols on them, they pay jackpots, and they do everything else you expect of a slot game.

And yet, they are not slot machine games.

A clever company in Franklin, TN, known as Video Gaming Technologies, or VGT, developed electronic bingo games for Native American casinos that use the results of those bingo games to emulate slot game action.

Electronic Bingo Machine Systems

In other words, the slot machine cabinets contain two screens, one that displays the results of the bingo game and one that displays the results of the simulated slot game. This dual visualization of the gambling game takes advantage of the fact that at the core of all gambling games is a simple principle:

You’re making a wager on an unknown outcome. What the Class II slot games do is take the result of the bingo game to determine what happens in the slot game.

Slot

What’s cool about this approach is that VGT was able to add bonus games to the bingo games that work like slot machine bonus games. They’ve developed a huge selection of bingo games that play like slot games. VGT is so successful they were acquired by Aristocrat Leisure Limited in 2014, although the former VGT still operates as an independent subsidiary company of Aristocrat.

How Do Class III Slot Machine Games Work?

The key to the hybridization of bingo and slot machine games is the Random Number Generator. Mathematicians have been developing algorithms to calculate unpredictable numbers for hundreds of years. For a detailed look at the concept, read “How Do Random Number Generators Work?” on Jackpots Online. Although the RNG does not produce a truly random number, in typical circumstances the number is random enough. Even so, slot game designers use random numbers in multiple ways.

Before I continue, I should mention that US law requires slot game designers to work by different rules from other countries’ slot games. In the United Kingdom, for example, the outcome of a slot game is determined by a single random number. In the United States, the outcome of the Class III slot game is determined by several random numbers.

To begin with, an electronic slot machine or online slot game uses a software concept called an array to represent each reel. Computer arrays work like rows of boxes, where each box holds one piece of information. The arrays for slot reels may have anywhere from 22 to 256 slots. Each slot in the array holds a symbol marker that tells the slot machine game what to display on the screen.

Bingo Card On Slot Machines

Slot game designers use special algorithms to decide how often each type of symbol should appear in each slot array. The frequency of the symbol’s use in the array and the size of the array determine how likely or unlikely it is for any single spin of the slot game reels to create one or more winning combinations. The game’s software may award prizes for one or more winning combinations at a time, depending on how many pay lines the game offers.

The random number generator produces a new number every few milliseconds. The number is placed in a temporary memory location called a register. The slot game software grabs the latest random number from the register and uses that to determine what happens next. For example, a 5 reel slot game needs 5 random numbers to pick how many slot positions will be spun on each reel before the reels stop in new locations. If the slot game awards random prizes like progressive jackpots, these are determined by additional random numbers.

How Class II Slot Machine Games Differ from Class III Slot Machine Games

What VGT did was create bingo game software that determines the actual prizes awarded to players.

But to make the bingo games look like slot games, they used the bingo game’s random results as if they are the random numbers that Class III slot games use.

To ensure that the slot game winning combinations match the bingo game prize values the VGT games work more like slot games in the United Kingdom. The game determines what prize was won and then creates a short video simulation of the slots landing on that winning combination.

Conclusion

How do class II slot machines work?

Either way, the slot games award prizes on a random basis. You could say that US gaming laws are paranoid in that Class III slot game software is required to closely emulate the physical spinning of slot reels. In fact, physical slot reel games have been displaying results of these virtual, in-memory array games for more than 20 years. So even when you see physical reels spinning, their stop positions have already been determined within microseconds of your pressing SPIN.

The Class II slot gaming experience is a fun gaming experience.

But the bingo game is displayed on a small screen, because VGT’s designers have found that players don’t enjoy looking at bingo patterns as much as they enjoy looking at 3 to 5 reels spinning and stopping on various symbols.

For the player, what matters is that they’re gambling for real money on an unpredictable outcome–and they can enjoy an entertaining evening with friends or loved ones.

Bingo based slot machines

The publications on this web site are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the publications. To download the Reader click on the 'Get Adobe Reader' button below. This will take you to the Adobe Systems website. Follow the instructions on the Adobe website to install the software on your computer.

Quick Links

Chapter 17 - Charitable Bingo, Keno and Raffle
Form Name sort by: ( code | title | date ) PeriodForm
LAC 42:I.1701 - Statement of Department Policy4/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1703 - Definitions1/1999 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1705 - Eligibility of Charitable Gaming Licenses2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1707 - Application for a License to Conduct Charitable Gaming2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1709 - Expiration of License/Reissuance2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1711 - Manufacturer's Suitability and Business Relationships3/1986 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1713 - Revocation, Suspension, Restriction, Denial or Nonrenewal of Application3/1986 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1715 - Standards for Construction3/1986 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1719 - Assemble and Packaging3/1986 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1721 - Raffles2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1723 - Bingo Licensing Exemptions2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1725 - Miscellaneous2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1727 - Value of Prizes2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1729 - Transfer of Surplus Supplies2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1731 - Record Retention Requirements2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1733 - Separate Gaming Account2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1735 - License not Transferable2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1742 - Minimum Internal Accounting Control4/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1743 - Expenses4/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1744 - Bingo/Keno Cards and Bonanza Sheets4/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1745 - Licensing of Manufacturers and Distributors2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1747 - Application for Manufacturer's License2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1749 - Application for Distributor's License2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1751 - Applicant Suitability and Business Relationship2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1753 - Manufacturer's Distributor's Background Investigation2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1755 - Distributor's State Identification Stamp2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1757 - Timely Payment of Supplies; Penalty for Violation2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1761 - Reporting Requirements for License Holders2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1771 - Standards for Construction of Pull Tabs2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1773 - Assemble and Packaging of Pull Tabs3/1992 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1775 - Progressive Pull-Tabs12/2003 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1781 - Progressive Bingo 2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1783 - Progressive Mega Jackpot Bingo 2/1987 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1785 - Electronic Progressive Mega Jackpot Bingo 4/1994 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1787 - Investigation of License Holders 3/1992 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1789 - Suspension and Revocation of License Holders 2/1996 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1791 - Rights to Fair Hearing 2/1996 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1793 - Penalty Provisions10/2018 - presentForm
top of page
Chapter 18 & 19 - Electronic Video Bingo Rules
Form Name sort by: ( code | title | date ) PeriodForm
LAC 42:I.1801 - Statement of Department Policy11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1803 - Definitions and Terms11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1805 - Registration of Manufacturers, Distributors or Owners of Electronic Video Bingo Machines11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1807 - Permitting Process11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1809 - Machine, Hardware and Software Specifications11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1811 - Operation of Machines11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1813 - Fees11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1815 - Reporting and Record Requirements11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1817 - Enforcement and Regulation11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1819 - Administrative Proceedings and Adjudication11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1821 - Repeal of Previously Adopted Rules11/1988 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1901 - Definitions5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1903 - Licensing of Manufacturers, Distributors or Owners of Electronic Video Bingo Machines5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1905 - Permitting Process5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1907 - Permit Stamp, Machine Location5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1909 - Expiration of License/Reissuance5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1911 - Machine Specifications5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1913 - Software Information to be Provided to the Division5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1915 - Machine Testing5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1917 - Approval of Machines5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1919 - Machine Repair5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1921 - Inspection and Seizure of Machines5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1923 - Investigation of Permittee5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1925 - Prohibited Machines5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1931 - Possession of Electronic Video Bingo Machines5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1933 - Times of Machine Operation5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1935 - Combination of Interests Prohibited5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1941 - Reporting Requirements for EVB Manufacturers5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1943 - Reporting Requirements for EVB Distributors5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1945 - Reporting Requirements for Organizations Owning Electronic Bingo Machines5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1947 - Payment of Permit Fees5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1949 - Distributor's Payment to Organizations5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1951 - Record Retention Requirements of Electronic Video Bingo5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1953 - Dissemination of Information5/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.1955 - General Penalty Provision5/1991 - presentForm

Bingo Slot Machine For Sale

top of page

How Bingo Slot Machines Work

Chapter 21 - Electronic Bingo Card Dabber Devices
Form Name sort by: ( code | title | date ) PeriodForm
LAC 42:I.2101 - Definitions2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2103 - Registration of Man., Dist., or Owners of EBCDD2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2105 - Electronic Bingo Card Dabber Device Approval Process2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2107 - Equipment Malfunctions and Inspections2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2109 - Reporting and Record Requirements2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2111 - Enforcement2/2006 - presentForm
top of page
Chapter 22 - Commercial Lessors
Form Name sort by: ( code | title | date ) PeriodForm
LAC 42:I.2201 - Licensing of Commercial Lessors8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2203 - Background Investigation8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2205 - Expiration of License/Reissuance8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2207 - Gifts Prohibited8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2209 - Prohibitions8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2211 - Storage Lockers8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2213 - Lease Agreement8/1991 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2215 - Combination of Interest Prohibited8/1991 - presentForm
top of page
Chapter 23 - Casino Nights
Form Name sort by: ( code | title | date ) PeriodForm
LAC 42:I.2301 - Definitions2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2303 - Compliance2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2305 - Commencement of Activity2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2307 - License Required for Leasing Equipment2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2309 - Information Required; Unsuitability2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2311 - Leasing Equipment from Licensed Private Casino Contractors2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2313 - Specific License Required2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2315 - Organization Compliance2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2317 - Contracts2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2319 - Additional Consideration Prohibited2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2321 - Percentage Payments Prohibited2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2323 - Name Tags2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2325 - Authorized Games2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2327 - Wagering on Authorized Games Only2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2329 - Display of Rules2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2331 - Miscellaneous Provisions2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2333 - Tickets; Recordkeeping Requirements2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2335 - Accountability2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2337 - Imitation Money2/2006 - presentForm
LAC 42:I.2339 - Register of Workers2/2006 - presentForm
top of page