arizona gaming guide magazine - june 2015 - 07:06

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24 MAZATZAL HOTEL & CASINO

HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT IN THE

RIM COUNTRY OF PAYSON, AZ

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

06 PLAYERS TALK

10 TABLE GAMES

14 NEW SLOTS

18 ARIZONA LOTTERY

20 DINING

22 WINNING WAYS

24 FEATURE STORY

26 TRIBAL NEWS

30 GAMING NEWS

33 LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

36 CASINO NIGHTLIFE

38 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

40 CASINO BINGO

42 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

43 FUN FACTS

44 FUN & GAMES

46 CASINO DIRECTORY

IN EVERY ISSUE

azgamingguide.com | June 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 03

WINNING FORTUNES BY

WMS NOW AT HON-DAH

Enjoy a level of control where the

higher the bet, the better the chance

of winning progressives.

SOMETHING FOR EVERY-

ONE AT TROP LAUGHLIN

Staff Writer Joe Hagan explains why

the Tropicana Laughlin is an amaz-

ing destination any time of the year.

34 14

Contents JUNE

2015 SHUFFLE MASTER

CLASSIC

During June, players have the op-

portunity to qualify for this exciting

inaugural table games tournament.

22

http://www.azgamingguide.com/

his summer I plan to take advantage of everything Arizona’s casinos have

to offer. And if you think summer is a slow season, then I think you had

better take another look at all the destinations and events available to you!

In case you are fresh out of ideas then look no further than our feature story on

Mazatzal Hotel & Casino. Plan your next casino trip there and you’ll enjoy 20 de-

gree cooler temperatures and all the same gaming action in a scenic environment.

Or, you can hang out by the pool and enjoy the sun, drinks, entertainment, and

more at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino. They are hosting their Margarita Sundays

poolside parties again and every Sunday in June features a different band and lots

of cool drinks to enjoy. Plus, summer always brings about the outdoor concerts at

the casinos. Check out our entertainment listings for more info on all the great

music at the casinos.

In this issue, you’ll find plenty of reasons to make your next trip to any casino a

success. We’ve got the low down on a ton of new slots and those coming soon,

plenty of tips for you to incorporate into casino visits, and much more! Please visit

our Facebook at: facebook .com/ArizonaGamingGuide , become part of our com-

munity and share your thoughts and experiences with others who also love the

same casino games you do. You can sign up for our e-newsletter and find current

and back issues of AZ Gaming Guide on our website at AZGamingGuide.com . Let

me know what you think of this issue and have fun!

Alexandra Lang

Editor-in-Chief

[email protected]

Alexandra

VOLUME 07 • ISSUE 06

PUBLISHER

Chris Höft

[email protected]

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Elizabeth Torma

[email protected]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alexandra Lang

[email protected]

ART DIRECTOR

Melanie Mueller

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Al Moe

Lee Allen

Mark Novak

Cindy Esquer

Amanda Riddle

Lana Hartmann

Samantha Becker

Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford

ADVERTISING SALES

Nina Consiglio

[email protected]

Elizabeth Torma

[email protected]

MAILING INFORMATION

Arizona Gaming Guide

P.O. Box 20636

Mesa, Arizona 85277

INTERNET INFORMATION

www.azgamingguide.com

www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide

Copyright © 2015 The Arizona Gaming Guide.

All rights reserved.

The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and

gaming related facts and editorial opinions. AGG accepts no

responsibility and no liability for any actions of readers based on

articles and/or advertisements presented within. Information

contained within is not guaranteed to be correct. All pictures,

images, logos, trademarks and trade names, etc. are the sole

property of their respective owners. Intended for single use. Sale

and/or distribution without written consent is not permitted.

You must be 21 or older to gamble. Please play responsibly.

Help is available at 1.800.NEXT.STEP or problemgambling.az.gov.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Your Authority On Everything Gaming

Arizona’s State Gaming Regulatory Agency:

Arizona Department of Gaming

1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450, Phoenix, 85007

1.602.771.4263 or azgaming.gov

Tribal Gaming Funded Problem Gambling Resource:

Office of Problem Gambling

1.800.NEXT.STEP or 1.800.639.8783

1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450, Phoenix, 85007

1.602.542.8998 or problemgambling.az.gov

04 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2015 | azgamingguide.com

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we “Like” you too!

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VACATION TIME BABY! The Summer Has A Lot To Offer

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PLAYERS TALK


Q: On your Facebook, you recently posted that the IRS has

suggested that slot, keno, and bingo winnings of $600 or more

be reported. You also stated that currently only winnings of

$1200 or more on slot machines or bingo and $1500 or more on

keno winnings need tax paperwork. So, in other words, there

would need to be tax paperwork for everything over $600?

Please explain this in more detail! This would be very up-

setting to gamblers, and casinos too, if this goes into effect!

G. Patel – Scottsdale, Arizona

A: We received several questions into our email and a lot of

comments on our Facebook Fan Page about the topic pertaining

to the post mentioned above. Since there was so much interest,

we decided to task one of our staff writers, Rodric J. Hurdle-

Bradford, to come up with the answers. Here is what Rodric

came across during his research:

The casino gaming industry has been in the domestic tax code

dialogue as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has submitted a

proposal that would lower the tax reporting threshold for casi-

no visitors from $1200 to $600 for gaming winnings.

The 50 percent threshold reduction could nearly double or triple

the administration at some casinos according to industry

sources. To the IRS this means more jobs and economic devel-

opment, but to the casino this means more floor stoppages and

less efficiency, equaling less revenue. Always planning for the

future, the IRS has already issued proposed regulations and an

official notice updating the tax information reporting rules for

players’ slot machines winnings, as well as monies won playing

bingo and keno.

Through early June the IRS is accepting public comments re-

garding the current $1200 threshold level from private citizens,

industry advocates and public corporations alike. The main

concern is that the new law would add downtime in an already

highly regulated industry that has been cleaned up from its

infamous past.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) Tax Working Group

is made up of the highest industry tax management executives

from AGA member companies and has submitted comments to

the IRS on behalf of the industry.

“Not only would this potential policy change create additional

burdensome and unnecessary reporting requirements for gam-

ing companies, but it could also cost states millions of dollars in

revenue that support vital public services,” says Sarah Rayme,

Senior Vice President of Public Affairs of the AGA.

The current proposal from the IRS does not change the casinos’

reporting thresholds from current levels for winnings from bin-

go, keno or slot machines. The IRS has already stated that these

winnings are also already under review. Once a machine hits

the $1200 jackpot threshold, it remains deactivated until all of

the tax paperwork is completed and the game is unlocked. This

process can take anywhere from five to 30 minutes. This change

is anticipated to result in more operational downtime on the

casino floor when the threshold is the $600 jackpot that is hit

more often.

The current $1200 threshold was established nearly 30 years ago

in 1977, along with the $1500 threshold for keno players that

was made into law the same year. The amount has not been

adjusted for inflation at any time and should actually be nearly

$4700 today! The changes would cover land-based, riverboat,

racetrack casinos and Indian casinos.

The IRS’ stance is that so much of the reporting is being handled

electronically that the threshold reduction should not phase

operations in a major way. The administration of the proposed

change is the largest issue of debate between both sides. The

AGA has the support of the domestic casino gaming industry

and neither side was the first to blink and make any concessions

in this highly debated issue.

Penn National, operator of 29 casinos and racetracks across the

United States, has come out publicly against the IRS proposi-

tion, calling it “a very negative impact on business.”

Industry insiders also fear that the lower jackpot tax thresholds

will keep potential guests at out-of-state neighboring casino

competitors. U.S. casino gaming is a $240 billion industry that

supports nearly 2 million jobs and generates $38 billion in taxes

across 40 states. AGA has developed public policies favorable to

the industry under its “next generation gaming” platform that is

aiming to streamline regulations, remove barriers to innovation

and get a $25 gift or gas card if we decide to print your question! Do you have a question for our staff of casino gaming industry professionals and slot experts? Write us with your questions

and comments in any area of gaming and we will make every attempt to publish a response in upcoming issues. Space is

limited so we are unable to print every letter or e-mail we receive. Please include your name and mailing address with all

correspondence. Mail to: Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277 or E-mail to: [email protected].


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and allow regulators to be more nimble as the gaming land-

scape continues to evolve.

“Rather than going backwards, the gaming industry seeks for-

ward-looking policies that enable industry to reinvest, innovate

and create more jobs,” says Rayme.

Q: I was playing Buffalo at [my favorite casino] recently when

an alarm sound kept coming from the game and stopping my

spin. I would hit the machine and the alarm would stop, the

game would repeat the spin and then I could play again. What

is going on here?

Tania Johnson – Avondale, Arizona

A: Hi Tania, thank you for writing in to our team with such a

unique question! Without more details surrounding what hap-

pened while you were playing Aristocrat’s Buffalo, we can only

assume something you were doing was causing the alarm to go

off, have the slot machine to lockup, and for you to observe the

re-spin after hitting the machine. In the future, if this ever hap-

pens again, tell a beverage server, slot attendant, security officer,

or anyone else who is an employee about the problem you are

experiencing.

Most likely, this particular Buffalo slot is old, approaching ten

years of rigorous use on the abusive environment of a casino

floor and the main door switch is probably deactivated when

you lean or press on the button panel. The main door is set on

several hinges and loosens over time because of age, abuse

when it is slammed shut by slot personnel or the count team

during their nightly replacement of the cash boxes (referred to

as the “drop”), and by all of the players leaning on the button

panel.

The main door switch must remain active at all times in order

for the slot to function. As soon as the switch is deactivated, the

game “tilts” and stops all operations until the switch is active

again. If the door switch is tripped during a spin, the spin starts

over and displays the same outcome and, obviously, will not

pay twice. Slots with this kind of problem will be fixed by the

casino as soon as possible as play is being interrupted.

Editor’s note: In the May 2015 issue’s Player’s Talk, there was a mis-

print in our response to the Ted Duval—Tucson, AZ question. Arizo-

na’s casino gaming regulations allow a video slot’s payback percentage

to be set as low as 80% (not 85% as originally printed). Thank you

Andrea M. for bringing this to our attention! $

PLAYERS TALK


Continued from page 6


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TABLE GAMES


Writer Al Moe has worked in the casino industry for many years.

He has lived and worked in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. He

also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an avid writer

and blogger, author of “Vegas and the Mob"—available at Amazon.

He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.

cards removed from the deck. Through its use, players try to

wager more when they believe they have an edge over the casi-

no. It is not illegal.

As for Mr. Affleck, he is a skilled gambler who has won major

Poker tournaments and beat the Hard Rock on the Las Vegas

Strip for more than $750,000 on previous trips before he was

finally asked to stop playing Blackjack.

My advice is that you should learn all you can about Blackjack

and enjoy the game. I recently read “True Blackjack” and really

enjoyed it. Will it make me rich? Let’s just say that if I make $10

million doing a movie in Hollywood and can finally afford to

bet $1,000 to $25,000 per hand at Blackjack, then the Hard Rock

might have to kick me out too! $

By Al Moe

here seems to be a lot of debate over the legality of play-

ing Blackjack, or more specifically, counting cards at

Blackjack. Movies like “21” have both glorified the card

players and demonized the casinos, mostly because that’s what

Hollywood does. It tells tales that are entertaining, if not always

based in fact. Every casino in Arizona has plenty of skilled play-

ers that show net wins at the clubs and have never been asked

to leave.

What is Illegal?

It is illegal to cheat in any manner at casino games, by mucking

cards (hiding them for future use), past-posting or capping your

bet (raising your wager after you see your cards), or pinching a

wager (reducing your bet after you see your cards). It is also

illegal to use any form of device to track the cards in any game,

from Poker to Let It Ride to Blackjack. Saying later that you did-

n’t know it was illegal won’t help your case.

Occasionally, a player is suspected of cheating and asked to

leave the casino. Most gaming jurisdictions allow the casinos to

handle these issues (as does Arizona) according to their own

internal controls. Of course if you are caught with a cheating

device while playing table games or the slots you’ll probably

wind up arrested.

What is Legal?

Playing Blackjack in any casino in the United States, from Cali-

fornia to Vegas to Arizona and all the way to Atlantic City can

be a lot of fun. To be more direct, it has always been legal to use

any type of betting strategy to try and increase your wins at the

table. If you want to try the Martingale (double-up till you win)

the casino is happy to give you a chance. If you want to keep

adding to your bet after each winning hand, great. Go for it! If

you want to bet more when you think you have the edge, bet

more!

However, on rare occasions, as evidenced by the Las Vegas

Hard Rock casino’s decision to limit Ben Affleck’s Blackjack

play, a skilled player (perhaps a card counter), may be asked to

play other games but not Blackjack.

If you don’t know what card counting is, it is a mathematical

formula used by some gamblers to try and keep track of the

T

COUNTING CARDS Is It Illegal To Count Cards At Blackjack In Arizona Casinos?


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By Lana Hartmann

NEW SLOTS

Konami Selexion Now Available At Hon-Dah

he brand new Selexion machines by Konami at Hon-Dah

Resort & Casino are Multi-Game slots allowing players to

select from up to 10 titles and multiple denominations.

Our sources at the casino inform us the ten games include the fol-

lowing popular Konami titles: Adorned Peacock , Bull Mystery,

China Mystery (which plays like Lion Festival, China Shores, and Quest

For Riches), China Shores, Dragon’s Law, Gypsy Fire, Lotus Land, Sol-

stice Celebration, and Wild Aztec. Our favorites on this Multi-Game

slot include China Mystery, China Shores, and Gypsy Fire because of

the potential for the large number of free games in the China

games, and the volatility of the multipliers during the free games

in Gypsy Fire . For more information about the Selexion slots from

Konami, visit their website at Gaming.Konami.com. For more

information on Hon-Dah Casino, visit Hon-Dah.com. $

T

MS has created a brand new slot called Winning

Fortune Progressives, featuring increased interaction

in an Asian-focused, five-level progressive and

you can play it at Hon-Dah Resort and Casino. Featuring a

stunning art package, the Winning Fortune Progressives game

is designed specifically with the Asian aesthetic in mind.

The Winning Fortune Progressives game allows players to

enjoy a level of control where the higher the bet, the more

progressive symbols appear along the horizontal reel and the

better the chance at winning a progressive! But that's not all!

The Winning Fortune Progressives game allows players to

choose where to place the progressive symbols before spin-

ning the wheel, giving a level of interaction like never before!

This slot bank has three base themes, each with its own

unique free spin bonus! Watch as up to 120 Mystery symbols

are added to the Dragon’s Legend bonus, Wild multipliers slide

up and down reels during the Far East Fortunes Deluxe bo-

nus, and pick the ratio of free spins and multipliers you want

in the Wishing You Fortune bonus! Visit wms.com/now today

for more information on this and other exciting new slots and

visit Hon-Dah.com for more information on the casino! $

W

Winning Fortunes Ready For Play At Hon-Dah



Quartermania By IGT

GT’s Quartermania Wide Area Progressive on the

company’s S3000 cabinet awards players with free

games and Mini Mania progressives in a classic,

spinning-reel format. When a player wins a Quarterma-

nia jackpot, the overhead signage, light and sound of the en-

tire bank synchronize, creating a high-energy celebra-

tion on the casino floor!

The three-reel, five-payline game enhances a classic

spinning reel experience with incredible state-of-the-art

touchscreen technology, complemented by a user-

friendly five-button player panel. Quartermania com-

municates different jackpot levels, showing players the

value of betting up to a highly achievable six-credit,

$1.50 max bet. Look for Quartermania slots with other

S3000 fan-favorite games, including Wild Red Sevens,

Triple Red Hot Sevens and Super Times Pay. For more infor-

mation on Quartermania and IGT, visit igt.com. $

Coming Soon NEW SLOTS

I


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NEW SLOTS Coming Soon

Hot Hot 8 By WMS Gaming

ntroducing one of the first themes to launch on the Blade s32 cabinet: the Hot Hot 8 theme!

Players may choose to play up to 8 themes at once for a max bet of 200 credits—that’s only 25

credits an array! Everyone’s favorite Hot Hot Super Jackpot star is back, 3 or more FLAMEY

symbols trigger the Hot Hot 8 Wheel Feature where, at max bet, players spin the wheel for their

chance at a progressive. Land on the Award All wedge, and all progressives on the wheel are

awarded. But that’s not all—each base theme features a Free Spin Bonus with player-selected vol-

atility! Before the bonus begins, spin the wheel for a number between 2 and 8. Players then have

two options: apply that number as a multiplier on one reel array, or as the number of reel arrays

to play at a single multiplier. Each of the 8 WMS themes feature their own unique bonus: watch as

two random reels are WILD in the Jungle Wild theme; win up to 100 free spins in the Zeus and

Mystical Unicorn themes; watch as RED ZEUS may appear shooting a bolt of lightning across the symbols

on the same row, turning all hit symbols WILD in the Great Zeus game. WILD symbols multiply

pays in the Raging Rhino and Far East Fortunes II game; expanded WILD symbols stick and hold

for the remaining spins in the Black Knight bonus; and special bonus symbols can add up to 50

additional free spins in the Fallen Angels theme. For more information visit WMS.com. $

I

ntroducing a new addition to the Blade s32 cabinet, the Dragons Over Nanjing

game. Combining a unique Dragon Boost Feature with a Free Spin Bonus, this

10-level Local Area Progressive, with an Asian-inspired motif, truly is a work

of art.

A RED, BLUE, GREEN, PURPLE, LIGHT BLUE, or ORANGE DRAGON symbol

may appear on reels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, respectively. Any combination of 2 or more of

these different DRAGON symbols landing fully on the reels awards the Dragon

Boost Feature. It only takes one DRAGON symbol during the Dragon Boost Feature

to trigger an additional dragon boost — awarding up to 10 progressives!

But that’s not all — three or more scattered BONUS symbols award up to 25 free

spins and 50x total bet in the Dragon Free Spin Bonus. Before each spin, one wheel

will be selected to be covered by a WILD GOLD DRAGON symbol for that spin

only, potentially increasing wins!

The first thing you’ll notice about the Blade s32 cabinet are the two thirty-two-inch

screens in the style of WMS Gaming’s Metascreen technology, with high-definition

displays that deliver a premium, high-impact "wow" to any casino floor, while

providing superior player readability. Enabled by a modern and familiar, ergo-

nomic, 10.4” tablet-style button panel with a multi-touch screen for accurate inputs

and improved gameplay integration, the Blade s32 cabinet and Dragons Over Nan-

jing theme are a fierce gaming experience. For more information visit WMS.com. $

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Dragons Over Nanjing By WMS Gaming



Cash Wizard Featuring Quick Hit By Bally Technologies

our favorite wizard is back and this time he’s brought his entire family! Cash Wizard fea-

turing Quick Hit is the third game in Bally’s popular Cash Wizard franchise. In this latest ad-

dition, the magical Cash Wizard appears with Ms. Magic and their three children. And

they’ve joined forces with Quick Hit and Cash Wheel for even more fun.

Join the wizard family as you explore their mythical new world in this five-reel, 25-line video slot,

which will enchant you with three exciting bonus features. When the wizard family appears during

the base game, you know you’re in for some good luck. As the reels spin, the family members may

fly in and cast magic from their wands to award Quick Hit symbols. Five to nine Quick Hit symbols

award one of five Quick Hit progressive jackpots for chances to win big. Three scattered Free Game

symbols on reels one, three, and five award 12 Free Games, with all pays doubled. You’ll have a

blast conjuring up wins while singing along to the hit single “Magic!”

The Cash Wheel Bonus awards up to three spins of the Cash Wheel with multipliers. Cash Wheel

symbols on reels two, three, and four trigger this bonus. Pick from among 21 tiles until three tiles

match to determine the number of wheel spins and the multiplier. Get ready to make magic on the

casino floor with this game. Look for Cash Wizard featuring Quick Hit at a casino near you! $

Coming Soon NEW SLOTS

Y


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By Cindy Esquer

ARIZONA LOTTERY

Juan Hernandez, Avondale, purchased

three lines of random numbers for the

All or Nothing drawing of April 21.

When he checked his numbers online, he

was thrilled to discover he had matched

all the numbers to win $25,000.

Sometime in the middle of the afternoon,

Juan remembered something unusual

about the ticket and took another look at

it. To his amazement, he realized what

was unusual about the ticket; one of the

remaining lines did not match any of the

drawn numbers. Juan’s ticket had two

$25,000 winning lines, making his ticket

worth $50,000.

Juan has only been playing All or Noth-

ing for a short time. He started to play it

because he was intrigued by the idea of

winning with matching numbers, or win-

ning without any matching numbers.

Juan, works in the field of education, and

occasionally plays Powerball and Weekly

Winnings.

Juan and his wife have one child and are

expecting their second child. The timing

of this win is perfect. He’s going to put

some of the money away for the new

baby, pay off his car, and save the rest.

The ticket was purchased at QuikTrip,

297 N. 99th Ave., Tolleson.

For more information on the Arizona Lottery,

visit their website at ArizonaLottery.com. For

the winning numbers, call 480.829.7425 in

Phoenix or 520.325.9141 in Tucson. Please

call 1.800.499.3798 for all other areas in

Arizona.

$50,000 All Or Nothing $100,000 Scratchers

Wesley Marsh, Glendale, purchased a

few Triple Red 7’s Scratchers tickets at

the counter of a store. He likes the game

because it offers multiple ways to win.

After he scratched the tickets, Wesley

could see that one of them was a

$100,000 top prize winner. He signed the

back of the ticket immediately.

Wesley is no stranger to the Arizona

Lottery’s Hall of Winners. About ten

years ago, he won the top prize on a Win

for Life Scratchers ticket, and he was

recently a lucky winner of the MONOP-

OLY MILLIONAIRE’S CLUB trip to the

game show in Las Vegas.

Wesley prefers to play the $10 and $20

tickets because he likes the payouts. He

buys his tickets from Lottery vending

machines as well as at the store counter.

Wesley also plays All or Nothing using

his own set of numbers.

Originally from New Jersey, Wesley has

made Arizona his home for the last 14

years. For recreation, he enjoys fishing

and bike riding with his grandson.

Wesley is going to use the money to pay

off a few bills and save the rest.

The ticket was purchased at Circle K,

5049 W. Peoria Ave., Glendale.

Rafael Moreno-Nuñez, Mesa, purchased

a Daily Crossword Scratchers ticket at

the counter of a store. He always plays

this game and has had a few small wins

with it. He also enjoys playing the Bingo

Scratchers game.

Although Rafael enjoys playing Scratch-

ers, he only buys them when he has extra

cash or spending money.

Rafael scratched the ticket at home. Since

he is familiar with the game, he thought

that he’d won $50,000, but he found it

difficult to believe. When he arrived at

the Lottery with his family and the ticket

was validated, it was then he knew with-

out any doubt that he’d won $50,000. His

family is thrilled for him.

Rafael works in the construction field

and enjoys playing $5 Scratchers. He

likes the payouts.

Rafael is going to put his winnings in the

bank.

The ticket was purchased at ARCO

ampm, 2816 E. McKellips Road, Mesa.

Editor’s Note: All Or Nothing is a recent

addition to the Arizona Lottery’s long list of

games and is very similar to Top Bottom

Video Keno at the casinos. Players win

$25,000 when they match 10 of 10 drawn

numbers or 0 of 10 drawn numbers! Players

are also winners if they match 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, or

9 numbers for prizes of $2 (match 3 or 7),

$10 (match 2 or 8) and $250 (match 1 or 9).

Odds of winning are about 1 in 5.59. $

$50,000 Scratchers


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CASINO DINING

SIP AND SWIM AND SO MUCH MORE Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Serves Up Poolside Drinks And Fun

s the temperatures start to rise in the Valley, cool off

with summer drink specials and fun pool parties at

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino. To start the week or end the

weekend right (which ever you prefer), Sundays in Maricopa

are now being “Served on the Rocks” with the return of Marga-

rita Sundays! Always a favorite, Margarita Sundays are

poolside parties held each Sunday, from 2-6pm. Guests will

enjoy live music, great food and drink, all while relaxing

poolside. Upcoming entertainment includes Cheeseburgers in

Paradise, a Jimmy Buffett Tribute (June 7), Desert Beach (June

14), Panacea-Steel Drums (June 21) and Kush County (June 28).

There is a $10 cover charge per person which can be purchased

at the gift shop inside the Casino. Adult admission includes one

drink (beer, wine or margaritas) and children must be accompa-

nied by a parent or guardian. The new 16oz. Margarita will be

the centerpiece of Margarita Sundays this year. For an addition-

al $15, you get a specialty glass and your first drink. Bring it

back each Sunday throughout the summer for $6 refills during

Margarita Sunday (available only at the pool).

But why save all the fun for the weekends? All summer long

Harrah’s has fun summer drinks, all for only $8 each! Some of

our favorites include:

The Harrahcane Start your afternoon right with our signature

drink the Harrahcane – made with Captain Morgan Original

Spiced and Malibu Coconut rums with pineapple, orange and

cranberry juices.

Cucumber Bliss A Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino favorite is the Cu-

cumber Bliss – made with a combination of Skinnygirl Cucum-

ber vodka, club soda with lime and mint.

Bikinitini A refreshing Bikinitini will have you taking a dip

this summer – made with Grey Goose L'Orange Vodka, lemon

juice, orange juice, Monin sugar-free syrup and soda water.

Frozen Sangria Need to cool off? Try our Frozen Sangria –

made with Cabernet, Peach Schnapps, Razzmatazz, Sweetened

Lime Juice, Strawberry Puree, and a splash of Sierra Mist blend-

ed to perfection.

The Dolce A twist on the traditional pina colada drink is The

Dolce – made with Malibu Rum, Absolut Vanilla, colada mix,

and salted caramel drizzle served frozen.

Chocolate Martini To add a little “007” to your summer day try

the Chocolate Martini – made with Skyy vodka, Godiva Choco-

late Liqueur and white crème de cacao drizzled with chocolate.

And if “mixing it up” isn’t the way you like to spend your sum-

mer afternoon, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino also has a wide variety

of beer and wine selections.

Looking for some summer fun with your dad? This Father’s day

treat your dad to a fun day out by coming to Harrah’s for

brunch at The Buffet. From 9am – 3pm there will be plenty of

dads’ favorites at The Grill, The Garage and The Seafood Sta-

tion. The cost is $27.99 per person.

Want someone else to do the driving for you? Did you know

Harrah’s offers free transportation to and from the casino? Let

us do the driving, with convenient pickup locations throughout

Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties. For reservations and more

information, call 480.649.6306 (Phoenix Metro) or 520.743.4386

(Pima County).

Celebrating 20 years in Maricopa, Arizona, Harrah’s Ak-Chin

Casino is Arizona’s first and only tribal casino to have an inter-

national management partner. Offering the largest selection of

the latest reel and video slots in a range of denominations, Har-

rah’s Ak-Chin features slot machines, video poker, video Keno

as well as popular statewide progressives and live-action poker

and Black Jack. For more information contact Harrah’s Ak-Chin

at 480.802.5000 or visit HarrahsAkChin.com. $

A

By Rachel Brockway


http://www.fortmcdowellcasino.com/

By Mark Novak

f you are an avid fan of Shuffle Master specialty table

games like Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Caribbean

Stud Poker, Let it Ride, Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold

‘Em, Texas Hold ‘Em Bonus and Crazy 4 Poker, then this is the one

national tournament you won’t want to miss! During the entire

month of June, players have the opportunity to qualify for this

exciting inaugural tournament, the Shuffle Master Classic, at

over 200 casinos nationwide.

Players can walk into any one of the qualifying casinos, play

their favorite Shuffle Master game and when they hit a “Classic

Hand” they qualify for the finals in September in fabulous Las

Vegas, Nevada. A “Classic Hand” is a six card straight flush in

Three Card Poker or a five card royal flush in any of the other seven

games listed above. Every qualified player receives $1,000 in

credits to cover travel expenses to Las Vegas and VIP treatment

upon arrival. The September Shuffle Master Classic begins with

an exclusive welcome party the evening before the National

Championship and a cocktail party immediately after the event.

The main event will begin on September 28, 2015 near the Bour-

bon Room at The Venetian Las Vegas. The tournament will be

played on four Three Card Poker tables on the floor of the casi-

no. The top seven players in the tournament will split $250,000

with the top prize of $100,000 going to the winner. The top play-

er will also claim year-long bragging rights as the luckiest Three

Card Poker player in the country and winner of the first ever Shuffle

Master Classic!

Roger Snow, Senior Vice President of Bally Technologies, com-

mented: “With a 30-plus year heritage of gaming industry inno-

vation, we are thrilled to continue Shuffle Master’s rich legacy

of excellence in table game products with the launch of this

event. The first-ever Shuffle Master Classic is an ideal way to

celebrate Shuffle Master’s legendary proprietary table games

and the twentieth anniversary of Three Card Poker – the most

popular casino card game in play today around the world.

Throughout the month of June, the nation-wide Shuffle Master

Classic will offer unmatched levels of energy and excitement to

players across the country while featuring Shuffle Master’s leg-

endary proprietary table games. The championship event,

which is being held in conjunction with G2E 2015, will bring the

best, and luckiest, players from around the country to a single

location for a day filled with tournament action, excitement,

tension and ultimately celebration for the top seven players.” $

I

2015 SHUFFLE MASTER CLASSIC $250,000 Purse—Qualify In June—Las Vegas Finale In September


WINNING WAYS

Where Can I Qualify In Arizona?

Casino del Sol—Tucson

Desert Diamond Casino—Tucson

Lone Butte Casino—Chandler

Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino—Laveen

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino—Chandler

For casinos outside of Arizona visit ShuffleMasterClassic.com

How Can I Qualify?

Game Classic Hand

Three Card Poker Six Card Straight Flush

Four Card Poker Five Card Royal Flush

Caribbean Stud Poker Five Card Royal Flush

Let it Ride Five Card Royal Flush

Mississippi Stud Five Card Royal Flush

Ultimate Texas Hold’em Five Card Royal Flush (1st 5 Cards)

Texas Hold’em Bonus Five Card Royal Flush (1st 5 Cards)

Crazy 4 Poker Five Card Royal Flush

Win Your Trip To Las Vegas And A Chance At $100,000

Play a qualifying game at a participating casino in June. Hit a

“Classic Hand” and you’ll be enjoying this legendary experi-

ence and a chance at over $250,000 in cash and prizes. Visit

ShuffleMasterClassic.com to read about the rules, event de-

tails, qualifying casinos, and even learn to play the games!


http://www.twinarrows.com/


he cool, crisp mountain air, friendly and knowledgeable

staff, a great selection of casino games, excellent enter-

tainment, quality food at reasonable prices, a variety of

promotions, and so much more, is what makes Mazatzal Hotel

& Casino in Payson, Arizona a fantastic gaming destination.

With just over 400 slots, the floor has a great selection for every

style of player. Mazatzal not only has games from all the popu-

lar manufacturers such as Bally, WMS, IGT, Multimedia, Aristo-

crat, and Konami, but they even have exciting new slots from

lesser-known companies that can’t be found at any other Arizo-

na casinos. Several highlights of the gaming area, besides the

unique assortment of slots, includes a prevalence of penny

games, an abundant collection of video poker machines with

excellent pay tables, several multi-denomination and high-limit

slots, steppers, and video keno games as well. In fact, fans of

Caveman Keno should take note; Mazatzal is one of the last casi-

nos in the state to still offer the original version which awards

the 10X multiplier when all three eggs are chosen during a

game!

In addition to the slots, you can try your luck in the 280 seat

Bingo room. There are six regular sessions each week and sever-

T al exciting promotions (such as Double Payout Bingo and Bingo

cards for as little as 25 cents) every month. Along with offering

the traditional paper packs, Mazatzal’s Bingo features electronic

Planet Bingo as well. Their card room, which boasts the “Best

Blackjack in Arizona,” breaks tradition by using four deck shoes

instead of the usual six decks. Plus, their dealers stand on soft

17. Players can double down on any two cards, even after splits

(except aces) and split aces up to four hands. With weekly

Blackjack tournaments, bonus pays, a variety of side bets and

the friendliest dealers around, Blackjack is a great gaming op-

tion at Mazatzal. Prefer Poker instead? The tables in the pines

are always bustling with activity, offering weekly tournaments

and hot progressive payouts.

When you are ready to grab a bite to eat, there are no less than

four different dining options to satisfy all the cravings for any

appetite. Open from 6am to 9pm, the Coffee Korner serves

Peet’s Coffee, the finest homemade pastries, and an assortment

of delicious treats. The pastries are the real deal and include

muffins, pies, cinnamon rolls, and a lot more. And you can’t

beat this house special - refills on coffee for only 80 cents!

Open 24 hours, The Grille serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner

By Lana Hartmann, Cover Photo By DJ Craig



including sandwiches, appetizers, salads, burgers, pizza, and

desserts. For breakfast, make sure to try the country breakfast

which includes two scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes with a

choice of toast and bacon or sausage for just $6. If you are feel-

ing a little adventurous in the morning, the $7 breakfast pizza

comes with sausage gravy, eggs, bacon, and ham. Yum! For

lunch, my husband tells me the $7 patty melt with waffle fries is

his favorite, while I prefer the $8 southwest crispy chicken sal-

ad. The Apache Spirits Lounge is open every day (9am to 1am

Su.—Th. and 2am on Fr. & Sa.) with great drink prices, a tasty

food menu, and plenty of TVs to catch your favorite sporting

event. Their Happy Hour is from 3 to 6pm (Mo.—Fr.) and you

can order a Bay Shrimp Cocktail for only $1.25 (10am to 6pm).

Personally, the Cedar Ridge Restaurant is my preference for

Lunch and Dinner. The buffet has a great salad bar and a solid

selection of meat and vegetables to choose from any day of the

week. Prices range from $10 on weekdays to $18 for Sunday

Brunch. If you are less of a buffet person and more into ordering

off a menu, try the Cubano sandwich or the BBQ Pulled Pork

sandwich for lunch – both delectable! For dinner, order the ba-

con wrapped filet mignon. Plus, don’t forget about Crabby

Wednesdays at Cedar Ridge, where you’ll eat all the crab legs

you want for only $16!

John Giles, Director of Marketing said, “Players have the perfect

opportunity here at Mazatzal to enjoy Payson, the Rim Country,

hiking, fishing, hunting, and so much more. Then, they can live

it up with the same gaming available at Valley casinos. Our

Ultimate Football Fan Giveaway promotion runs through the

end of July and ten lucky winners will each walk away with a

pair of season tickets to the Arizona Cardinals! All you have to

do is sign up for our Mountains of Money players club and start

using your card when you play all your favorite games in the

casino.”

From the food to the service to the slot floor and everywhere in

between, Mazatzal has everything for the casino gaming enthu-

siast in a location that can’t be beat. Now that temperatures

have started to skyrocket, why not choose Mazatzal as your next

gaming destination? Enjoy 20 degree cooler weather among the

beautiful tall pines and exciting casino action all day and night

long. Then, when you’re ready to relax and take it easy, you’ll

do it in style and comfort in one of their fantastic rooms in their

all-suite hotel. For more information on Mazatzal Hotel & Casi-

no, visit Mazatzal-Casino.com or call 800.777.PLAY (7529). $



TRIBAL NEWS

o many people, “A is for Apple,” but for the early indig-

enous peoples, the A stood for Atlatl --- an ancient

weapon that predated the bow and arrow and was an

effective implement to both fend off enemies or to bring home

supper.

The atlatl, one of humankind’s first mechanical inventions,

dates back to 15,000 B.C. (or even earlier) with the first-known

spear throwers belonging to the Paleolithic period, using their

rudimentary weapon to hunt critters for the community BBQ,

critters like mammoths and mastodons. In fact, archaeologists

digging for history in the Sierra Vista area have found mam-

moth kill sites there that contain atlatl dart points.

The word atlatl comes from the Nahuatl language of the Aztec

who used the weapon in encounters against Spaniards. “The

actual Aztec definition is ‘to throw over water’ because the in-

digenous hunters used the atlatl to hunt small game around

lakes. It’s an efficient tool to use for large and small animals,”

says Choctaw Nation member and amateur atlatl thrower Dave

Morris.

Spokesman Bob Sizemore of Arizona’s SALT organization

(Study of Ancient Lifeways and Technologies) adds: “It was a

powerful weapon that could hurl projectiles at 250 feet-per-

second with tremendous power. Spanish soldiers left written

records that the atlatl had even penetrated their armor plating.”

Indeed, author Colin Taylor writing in Native American Weap-

ons, notes the atlatl “is capable of sending a dart with such great

force that it has been known to pass completely through a man

armed with a coat of mail.”

The atlatl is simplicity in design, essentially a stick with a han-

dle on one end and a hook that engages a spear or dart on the

other end. A flipping motion of the atlatl propels the spear

much faster and farther than if thrown by hand.

“The throwing motion is the same as throwing a ball or a rock,”

according to John Whittaker of The World Atlatl Association.

“The main difference is when you snap your wrist at the end of

a pitch, your wrist provides a short lever arm while that same

wrist snap with an atlatl provides a long lever, like adding an-

other arm joint.”

“The stick makes your arm longer, so when you swing the atlatl

and release the arrow or dart, you have a lot more speed, force,

and distance of the projectile --- about 200% more energy than a

toss by hand,” says Sizemore. And, that can make a big differ-

ence as demonstrated in the current world record toss of 848

feet.

Most everybody’s ancestors used atlatls at some time in the

past. “The atlatl technology actually put humans at the top of

the food chain,” Sizemore says. “We didn’t have the claws,

teeth, strength, or speed of wild animals, so at some point some-

one used their brain to create a method of throwing a spear far-

ther and faster than you could by hand and, overnight, that put

humans in the category of being at the top of the predator

class.”

Today the atlatl may still be in use among remnants of Aztec

and Mayan cultures as well as in some parts of Mexico and by

Eskimo groups who hunt seals in the Pacific Northwest.

For the past 25 years, the World Atlatl Association has been

promoting interest through World Atlatl Day Throwing Compe-

T

By Lee Allen

AIMING FOR ACCURACY Recreating Early Hunting And Warfare With Atlatl Archery


TRIBAL NEWS


titions in a number of states and 16 countries around the world.

Four years ago, the first such competition in Arizona found a

home at Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix where Charles

Tadano was one of the participants.

“I got interested in primitive skills because I grew up on a farm

near the Salt River, a former settled area filled with indigenous

peoples for centuries and when we’d plow our fields, we would

often find artifacts and implements of those early days --- that’s

what sparked my interest,” Tadano says.

The mission of the SALT group is to teach, share, and practice

skills that allowed ancient peoples to not only survive, but

thrive, in their environments, between instructing neophyte

throwers how to use the atlatl, SALT members also demonstrate

how to make a fire with just the materials on hand as well as

how to make stone arrowheads by flintknapping or baskets and

cordage using available plant fibers.

One of their displays shows samples of different ways people in

different parts of the world create their own version of a hook

on a stick --- atlatls representing Aztec, Peruvian, Australian,

Amazonian, and other cultures from around the globe.

World Atlatl Day this year falls on June 6th when SALT and

Pueblo Grande Museum again partner with demonstrations and

accuracy contests. The event is free (although donations are

accepted) and open to the public. Pre-registration is not re-

quired and no experience is needed to participate in throwing

atlatl darts at a stationary bull’s eye.

Pueblo Grande Museum, 4619 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, is

situated on a 1,500-year-old archaeological site that was once

part of the Hohokam culture. Now a National Historic Land-

mark, the museum is the largest preserved archaeological site in

the city with three separate galleries dealing with Hohokam

artifacts, the Pueblo Grande village site, Southwest cultures/

Arizona history, and a children’s hands-on gallery to help

youngsters learn about the science of archaeology.

For further information about atlatls, how to throw them, and

how to be a part of this year’s competition, contact The World

Atlatl Association, WorldAtlatl.org. For details on the Pueblo

Grande event, call 602.495.0901 or visit PuebloGrande.com. $



TRIBAL NEWS

n Memorial Day 2015, Twin Arrows turned two years

old. The past few years have been busy for Northern

Arizona’s only AAA Four Diamond resort – winning

accolades, establishing successful partnerships with other local

businesses and offering new amenities. To celebrate its second

anniversary, Navajo Gaming CEO Derrick Watchman made a

big announcement that will have local patrons and international

guests applauding.

“We will build out our Spa – with treatment rooms, massages

and pampering services for guests. We are also completely re-

doing our buffet concept. There will be expanded seating, new

menu, a pizza oven, plus action stations for feature nights like

lobster and prime rib,” said Derrick Watchman, CEO of Navajo

Gaming. “Finally, we are creating a new Trucker’s Lounge. It

will provide a great place to relax with computers, coffee and

showers. Admission will be based on the trucker’s level of play

at the casino, but will help us better serve truckers which make

up 50 percent of freeway traffic.” All three projects are expected

to be completed before the end of 2015.

Watchman’s announcement comes about a decade after Navajo

voters approved Gaming in late 2004 and demonstrates the tre-

mendous growth that Navajo Gaming has experienced in a

short time.

Some of Twin Arrows milestones include:

November 2004: Navajo people vote in favor of gaming

2006: Navajo Gaming created by The Navajo Nation

2008 – 2012: Navajo Gaming opens three New Mexico casinos

Memorial Day 2013: Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort opens

July 2013: Voted AZ’s Best Casino Resort Destination

October 2013: Top Native American Casino Facility (G2E)

May 2014: Twin Arrows expands hotel (110 additional rooms)

May 2014: Bingo Series launches

June 2014: AAA’s Four Diamond Designation

July 2014: Three Green Globes Sustainability Award

July 2014: Wine Spectator Award (Zenith Steakhouse)

August 2014: AIGA Culinary Honors – Navajo Beef

2014: Navajo Beef Initiative generates $1.2 Mil. for local ranchers

January 2015: Video Game Arcade opens

May 2015: Twin Arrows celebrates Second Anniversary

The Twin Arrows location, on the tip of the Navajo Nation near

Flagstaff, has facilitated complimentary hospitality and business

development – such as the recent Glittering Mountain project

announcement – increased tourism opportunities, improved the

region’s infrastructure and provided much needed jobs in

Northern Arizona.

“Twin Arrows is an example of great collaboration between

Navajo enterprises and tribal programs. The Begaye-Nez Ad-

ministration will ensure this effort continues and expands to

other Navajo locations so that economic development, jobs, and

revenue are created for the Navajo people,” said Navajo Nation

President Russell Begaye.

Additionally, in just two years, Twin Arrows’ positive economic

impact is being felt. Since 2006, Navajo Gaming has paid out

$173,164,947 in wages and benefits to its hardworking employ-

ees, half of which are employed at Twin Arrows. Navajo Gam-

ing has also begun paying back its loan to the Navajo Nation

which is more than $10.2 million in principal and $64.9 million

in interest. Finally, six million dollars in profits has been paid to

the Navajo Nation Gaming Distribution Fund.

“I continually monitor the financial progress of Navajo Gaming

as their capital was provided by Navajo Nation resources and

they [the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise] are growing and

returning on the Navajo Nation’s investment,” said Speaker

LoRenzo Bates, Navajo Nation Council.

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort showcases Navajo culture

and features more than $500,000 in commissioned Navajo art-

ists’ original paintings and other artworks. The casino offers live

entertainment, more than 1,000 slot machines, table games, Pok-

er, live Keno and Bingo. The resort also includes a five-story

hotel with 200 lavish rooms and suites, 16,000 square foot ban-

quet and conference center, fully equipped fitness center, heated

indoor pool, video game arcade for kids and six distinct dining

concepts. Visit their website at TwinArrows.com to learn more

about the casino resort or to book a room. $

O

TWIN ARROWS TO OFFER EVEN MORE Premier Resort To Add Spa, Trucker’s Lounge, New Buffet In 2015

By Heather Austin


http://now.wms.com/


GAMING NEWS

On April 24, 2015, lucky guest Michael H. visited Desert Dia-

mond Casinos & Entertainment’s Sahuarita location and

struck a spectacular jackpot of more than $2.5 million! Michael

hit his massive jackpot playing the Ghostbusters progressive

slots from IGT.

Treena Parvello, Director of Public Relations and Communica-

tions for the Tohono O'odham Gaming Enterprise, said,

“Congratulations to Michael on becoming Southern Arizona’s

newest millionaire! This spectacular, two million dollar jack-

pot shows once again that Desert Diamond Casinos & Enter-

tainment is the place to play for the biggest wins in Tucson

and Sahuarita. We can't wait to see who will hit the next amaz-

ing jackpot.”

IGT also just announced recently another big Wheel of Fortune

winner. A player won a $1,836,877 jackpot on IGT’s Wheel of

Fortune slot at Menominee Casino Resort, Wisconsin, on Wednes-

day, April 8, 2015. The winner wished to remain anonymous.

Lucky Guest Wins Over $2.5 Million At Desert Diamond Casinos Sahuarita

IGT launched Wheel of

Fortune slots in 1996 and

solidified the Compa-

ny’s leadership in Wide

Area Progressive tech-

nology. Known as the

most successful slot

title of all time, the fun

fan-favorite theme has

produced nearly 1,000

millionaires and delivered over $3 billion in jackpots through-

out its illustrious history. IGT has created more than 200 varia-

tions of the game that can be found on casino floors in more

than 20 countries worldwide.

For more information on Desert Diamond Casinos, visit

ddcaz.com. For more information on IGT, visit igt.com.$


http://www.problemgambling.az.gov/


In 2014, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino made a large impact in the community through

its HERO program. HERO is an employee-based volunteer program in which em-

ployees and their families make noteworthy, visible contributions to the communi-

ty by lending their time, skills, expertise and caring to dozens of volunteer projects

throughout the community.

Once again, HERO volunteers broke the property record for the amount of time

and money donated in 2014. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino volunteers surpassed their

goal of 12,000 by contributing a total of 15,423 hours. Harrah’s employees also con-

tinue to donate their time and attention through participation in events throughout

the year that benefit local non-profit organizations. In 2014, 84 percent of employees

participated in a HERO activity, up from 75 percent of employees in 2013.

The casino also provided monetary and in-kind donations amounting to more than

$41,500 to organizations such as the Area Agency on Aging’s DOVES® Program,

American Cancer Society, Honoring, Hiring and Helping our HEROES of Pinal

County, F.O.R. Maricopa, Melonhead Foundation, Maricopa Against Abuse, Recy-

cling Association of Maricopa, Susan G. Koman Foundation, United Way and many

others. For more information on Harrah’s Ak-Chin and their HERO Program visit

their website at HarrahsAkChin.com or call 480.802.5000. $

Harrah’s Ak-Chin HERO Program Delivers



http://www.globalgamingexpo.com/

Aquarius Casino Resort

800.662.LUCK

aquariuscasinoresort.com.

1,250+ slots, no smoking slot area,

high limit slots area, blackjack, table

games, roulette, craps, keno, race/

sports book.

Avi Resort & Casino

(Fort Mojave Tribe)

800.430.0721

avicasino.com.

1,000+ slots, bingo, blackjack, table

games, craps, roulette, poker room,

keno, race/sports book, KidsQuest.

Colorado Belle Hotel Casino

877.460.0777

coloradobelle.com.

750+ slots, blackjack, table games,

craps, roulette, poker room, keno,

race/sports book. Build your own

amazing burger at Pint’s Brewery!

Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino

800.227.3849

riversideresort.com.

1,300+ slots, no smoking slot area,

high limit slots area, bingo, black-

jack, table games, craps, roulette,

poker room, keno, race/sports book.

Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall

800.634.3469

pioneerlaughlin.com

490 slots, blackjack, table games,

craps, roulette, sports book. Make

sure to check out the video poker &

reel slots!

Harrah’s Laughlin

800.447.8700

harrahslaughlin.com

900+ slots, no smoking slot area,


games, craps, roulette, poker room,

live keno, race/sports book.

Golden Nugget Laughlin

800.237.1739

goldennugget.com/laughlin

1,000+ slots, blackjack, table games,

craps, roulette, poker room, sports

book. Sign up for the player’s club

and spin for free play!

Edgewater Hotel Casino

800.677.4837

edgewater-casino.com.

750+ slots, no smoking slot area,


games, roulette, craps, race/sports

book. Great all-around casino!

We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information. To inform us of

updates, please email [email protected]. The Nevada Gaming Control Board

publishes statistics on casino gaming activity in Nevada according to their state’s gaming

regulations. The most current data for Laughlin at press time is from three months prior.

*A negative hold percentage indicates that game overpaid during the stated month.

Tropicana Laughlin

800.243.6846

troplaughlin.com

1,000+ slots, blackjack, table games,

craps, roulette, and a sports book.

Stop in for lunch at Carnegie’s or

the Poolside Café and enjoy the food!

Laughlin River Lodge

800.835.7904

laughlinriverlodge.com

1,000+ guest rooms and suites, over

30,000 square feet of the hottest

Vegas-style gaming, four restau-

rants, fast food options, & more!

Slots Hold % Tables Hold %

Loose $25 3.27 Craps 17.17

$5 3.31 Blackjack / 21 17.91

$1 5.04 Roulette 20.68

Multi-Denom 5.91 Pai Gow Poker 21.63

25¢ 5.93 Other Table Games 28.32

5¢ 6.84 Let It Ride 30.27

Megabucks 10.04 Three Card Poker 30.81

Tight 1¢ 11.72

Other Hold %

Loose Sports Pools 5.39 Win Amount Dollars

Race Books 16.64 Slots 44.1 mil.

Bingo 24.60 Tables 4.1 mil.

Tight Live Keno 30.75 Other 0.8 mil.

Laughlin’s Gaming Statistics March 2015

Directory & Gaming Statistics LAUGHLIN, NEVADA


mailto:[email protected]?subject=Laughlin%20Directory


Veteran’s Buffet is held on the fourth Wednesday of each

month.)

While car and military vehicle shows are key events for the

Tropicana, the resort also participates in local area town-wide

events.

This past April, Tropicana Laughlin was home to the Harley-

Davidson Association as they featured their demo rides and

more during the 33rd Annual Laughlin River Run®, the largest

motorcycle event in the southwest. The late April weather and

wide open roads makes Laughlin the perfect escape for the forty

thousand riders looking to get away.

Coming this summer is the Bullhead River Regatta August 7-9,

2015. It is the biggest inner tube float in the Southwest and

any of us like to relax by the pool, while some enjoy

a good round of golf, and then there are others who

explore places to see and seek things to do. Tropi-

cana Laughlin does not fall short on events for seekers of things

to do. And after reading this, you’ll wonder why you didn’t

hear about these events before.

Car enthusiasts won’t want to miss our four signature car shows

each year: Cinco de Mayo Car Show & Celebration, The Gam-

bler Classic River Run Car Show, Viva Tropicana Car Show &

Celebration, and the Haunt & Glow Car Show.

Anchoring the start and end of each year are the Cinco de Mayo

and Viva Tropicana events. Both are Tropicana’s celebration of

Hispanic culture. Custom cars from all over the Southwestern

states participate and feature low riders to classics. Trophies are

awarded in every category. Viva Tropicana is scheduled this fall

October 2-4, 2015 while the Cinco Car Show returns May 6-8,

2016.

The Gambler Classic rolled in earlier this spring April 16–18,

2015 which featured Chevrolet automobiles, Corvettes and

trucks from ‘55, ‘56, and ’57. Trophies are awarded in over 25

categories after the “Show ‘n’ Shine” event. This truly classic car

show has plenty of other action including a private slot tourna-

ment, traditional sock hop and lip synch contest.

Not all of the Tropicana’s car shows are traditional. The Haunt

and Glow car show, scheduled for October 30–November 1,

2015, mixes all makes and models with unique awards for mus-

cle cars, Cameros, PT Cruisers, and Scions. It celebrates the wild

side of cars with over-the-top custom paint jobs as well as their

owners who participate in the annual costume contest.

In November, Tropicana Laughlin honors our brave service

members with a special Veteran’s Day weekend celebration.

This November 6-11, Tropicana Laughlin’s celebration will fea-

ture several tracked and wheeled military vehicle shows. In

November 2016, Tropicana will once again host the American

Veterans Traveling Tribute® - an 80% scale replica of the Vi-

etnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. (As a side note,

Tropicana Laughlin is committed to supporting American veter-

ans. Once every month all veterans with a Trop Advantage

Card receive a free meal for two at the Roundhouse Buffet. The

M

By Joe Hagan

Director of Marketing, Tropicana Laughlin

Do you have a question for a Marketing Director? Have you

ever wondered about the people working behind the scenes?

Do you want to find out how it really works? We know you do

and here is your chance to find out!

Send your question in an email with “Ask Joe” in the subject to our

address at [email protected] and if Joe selects your question

to be answered in an upcoming issue, you’ll get a $25 gift card! (If

you prefer to send a letter, you may mail it to the following address.

“Ask Joe” Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277)

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

TROPICANA LAUGHLIN There’s Something For Everyone With Events, Casino Action & More!


The Tropicana Laughlin Glowing Like A Jewel At Night




Tropicana is the official Laughlin registration site and will host a

Thursday night pool party. Join thirty thousand visitors in what

is expected to be the biggest float so far on the Colorado River.

Laugh till your side hurts, October 2–4, 2015. It will be the sec-

ond year for the Laughlin Laugh Fest. A number of Laughlin

casinos, including Tropicana Laughlin, partner to host individu-

al comedy events such as comedy contests, all-female comedi-

enne shows and more.

These are just a few of the events you will find happening at, or

around, Tropicana Laughlin. So if you’re a seeker of things to

do, you’ll find there’s so much more fun, variety, and choices

than you thought when you visit the Tropicana. For more infor-

mation about the casino, make sure to head over to their web-

site at TropLaughlin.com. $


http://www.troplaughlin.com/


CASINO NIGHTLIFE

lampposts provide a soft glow after dusk. The space includes a

dance floor, a 50-foot long main bar, tiered cabanas, plush sofas

and DJ booth for guests looking to enjoy the energy of The Strip

under the stars.

Heart of OMNIA features a sultry material palette rich with

dark woods, bronze crocodile-embossed leather banquettes and

furnished with an unrivalled LED screen arrangement. Envi-

sioned as a seductive lair, the ultra-lounge features private seat-

ing areas, sumptuous bar and imposing DJ booth which will

host a roster of world-class, open format talent, ideal for guests

looking to enjoy a more seductive area of OMNIA.

The nightclub is open Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday

from 10pm until late. For reservations and tickets, visit their

website OmniaNightclub.com or call 702.785.6200. Guests can

also find OMNIA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Guests

must be 21 years or older. Cover charges and table reservations

will vary.

While at Caesars Palace, make sure to visit their newly opened

lounge. The Vista Cocktail Lounge, an upscale, interactive cock-

tail experience premiered at Caesars Palace this month and is

located in the former Shadow Bar. Owned by Caesars Palace

and operated by Hakkasan Group, Vista Cocktail Lounge will

be located off the main casino floor, complementing the neigh-

boring Hakkasan Group properties OMNIA Nightclub and

Searsucker Restaurant, also within the iconic Las Vegas resort.

The experiential cocktail bar and lounge will create a cozy, yet

still modern, atmosphere combining immersive and hi-tech

offerings alongside custom-crafted cocktails. $

he OMNIA Nightclub opened its doors on the evening

of March 15th welcoming guests to experience the high-

ly-anticipated debut of the venue, kicking off with a

performance from Calvin Harris. OMNIA’s inaugural events

will establish a new industry standard for Las Vegas with its

fresh articulation of the nightlife experience, merging opulent

design and an incomparable talent roster with never-before-

seen, state-of-the-art technology.

The completely redeveloped 75,000-square-foot venue, architec-

turally led by the Rockwell Group, houses three distinct night-

life spaces - the Main Club including the Balcony level, Heart of

OMNIA, the sleek and seductive ultra-lounge, and the Terrace -

each distinct in atmosphere and mood. OMNIA’s innovative

use of technology enhances the interaction and storytelling to

create an immersive, sensory and celebratory experience.

Guests of OMNIA are greeted by beautifully lacquered gold

ticketing kiosks surrounded by plush purple velvet walls. A

multi-armed chandelier and elaborate art installation bring

guests to the main corridor sheathed in stone tile. Liquid-crystal

display (LCD) portals embedded in black one-way mirrors on

all four sides of the walkway create a unique and ever-changing

environment through interactive technology as guests enter the

Main Club.

The Main Club boasts a dramatic 65-foot-tall ceiling dome,

which encompasses a 22,000-pound kinetic chandelier. The

grandiose centerpiece of the Main Club consists of eight concen-

tric rings featuring different production elements including the-

atrical lighting effects, video projections and light-emitting di-

ode’s (LED) all choreographed to evolve throughout the night.

Also located within the Main Club are the Opal and Velvet bars,

each unique in their aesthetic, offering guests prime views of the

performance area. Two ascending grand staircases lead guests

to the Balcony, with 12 opera boxes and two grand skyboxes for

premiere seating with remarkable views of the dance floor be-

low. Also located on the Balcony level is the Mirror bar, featur-

ing facetted iridescent mirror displays; an ideal offering for gen-

eral admission guests looking to enjoy a premium vantage point

to the performance area and dance floor below.

Atop the venue sits the Terrace, providing sweeping views of

the Las Vegas Strip. Architectural LED strips embedded into the

flooring and walls, etched glass light fixtures and cantilevered

T

By Mark Novak

OMNIA NIGHTCLUB - CAESARS PALACE Three Nightlife Spaces, Innovative Design & Impressive Talent


http://www.hon-dah.com/

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT Listings


Apache Gold Casino—Globe, AZ—800.272.2438

Events:

Apache Reggae Jam 2—Jun. 20

BlueWater Casino—Parker, AZ—888.243.3360

Dig Lounge:

Featuring a variety of live bands, karaoke & DJs—Daily at 5pm

Events:

Cage Rage 9—Jun. 20

Casino Arizona—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777

The Showroom:

Mötley Crüe’d (Mötley Crüe Tribute)—Jun. 5-6, Strange Days (The

Doors Tribute)—Jun. 12-13, Bonfire (AC/DC Tribute)—Jun. 26-27

The Arizona Room:

Latin Fire Dance Nights (Learn to Dance)—Tue. at 6pm, Rhythm of

the Sun—Tue. at 8pm, Country Dance Nights (Learn to dance)—

Wed. & Thu. at 6pm, Redneck Rockstars (Country)— Mon. 8pm,

Daisy Train (Country)— Wed. 8pm, The Tommy Ash Band

(Country, Rock, Americana)—Thursdays 8pm

Casino Del Sol—Tucson, AZ—520.838.6506

Paradiso Bar & Lounge:

Featuring a variety of live bands & DJs on weekends

Cliff Castle Casino—Camp Verde, AZ—800.381.7568

Stargazer Pavillion:

The Beach Boys—Jun. 27

Dragonfly Lounge:

Featuring a variety of live bands & DJs on weekends

Cocopah Resort Casino—Somerton, AZ—800.237.5687

Events:

Karaoke with Bling Bling/DJ Sosa—Th & Fr at 8pm

Fifty Shades of Men—Jun. 6

Desert Diamond Casino I—Tucson, AZ—866.332.9467

Monsoon Nightclub:

Dance Fusion with DJ Blade—Fridays

Noches Caliente—Saturdays the hottest Tex Mex and Tejano music!

Desert Diamond Casino II—Sahuarita, AZ—866.332.9467

Sports Bar:

Karaoke Night—Wednesdays 7-11pm

Live music or DJs—Fridays & Saturdays

Diamond Center:

Live and Let Die (Beatles Tribute)—Jun. 6

REO Speedwagon—Jun. 27

Fort McDowell Casino—Fort McDowell, AZ—800.843.3678

Lucky 7 Saloon:

Featuring a variety of live music every weekend

Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino—Maricopa, AZ—480.802.5000

Special Events: Marsha ll Tucker Band—19th, JT Hodges—27th

The Lounge: John Eric Band—5th, Doo Wah Riders—6th, New

Wave Order—12th, Rock Lobster—13th, The Walkens—20th, Quan-

tum—26th, Wild Wednesdays Jukebox 6—3rd, Thaddeus Rose—10th,

XO Band—17th, Yesterday Once More—24th The Lounge Happy

Hour Starting June 1st Mondays through Thursdays from 5-

8pm. Stan & Miguel Duo—Mondays, John Eric Duo—Tuesdays, The

Walkens Duo—Wednesdays, Van & Melanie—Thursdays, Al Ortiz—

15th, Soloman King & The Chosen—29th Sundays In The Lounge

Live music from 4-8pm. Notes From Neptune—7th, Jo Costello Pro-

ject—14th, Stan & Miguel Trio—21st, Soloman King & The Cho-

sen—28th Margarita Sundays Poolside parties held Sunday’s

throughout the summer. Enjoy live music, great food and drink, all

while relaxing poolside. Margarita Sunday from 2 to 6pm. Cheese-

burgers in Paradise—7th, Desert Beach—14th, Panacea (Steel

Drums)—21st, Kush Country—28th

Hon-Dah Casino—Pinetop, AZ—800.929.8744

Timbers Lounge and Showroom:

Comedian DL Hughley Desert Diamond Casino—Sahuarita

August 1, 2015

Comedian and actor DL Hughley is coming to the Diamond

Center for a night of laugh-out-loud standup on Saturday,

August 1. Tickets start at $15 and are on sale now. One of the

most popular and highly recognized standup comedians on

the road today has also made quite an impression in the televi-

sion, film and radio arenas. DL can currently be heard nation-

wide as host of his own afternoon radio show “The DL Hugh-

ley Show” which is nationally syndicated in over 60 cities

across the country including the #1 radio market – New York.

First and foremost a standup comedian, his sixth stand-up

comedy special “Clear” aired on Showtime last year. DL also

created and starred in the satirical documentary special for

Comedy Central “DL Hughley: The Endangered List,” which

premiered to rave reviews. Treena Parvello, Director of Public

Relations and Communications for the Tohono O’odham

Gaming Enterprise, said, “We are excited to bring one of the

Original Kings of Comedy to the Diamond Center for a night

of laughs! Don’t miss your chance to see DL Hughley live on

August 1.”


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Editor’s Pick CASINO ENTERTAINMENT


Munday Funday—Comedy Show 7pm, Apache Spirit (Variety)—Jun.

2-6, Johnny Ray Band (Variety)—Jun. 9-13, Lil’ Elmo & The Cosmos

(Oldies)—Jun. 16-20, Kid-n-Nic (Variety)—Jun. 23-27

Events:

Pow Wow In The Pines—Jun. 6-8

White Mountain Bike Rally—Jun. 27-28

Lone Butte Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452

Cascades Lounge:

Phoenix area bands & DJs offer free live entertainment throughout the

week featuring the Valley's best local bands & DJs

Mazatzal Casino—Payson, AZ—800.777.7529

Apache Spirits Lounge:

Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends.

Paradise Casino—Yuma, AZ—888.777.4946

Sharky’s Bar & Bites:

Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends

Quechan Casino—Winterhaven, CA—877.783.2426

Sidewinders Bar & Grill:


Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777

The Pool:

Posso—Jun. 6, DJ Zhaldee—Jun. 14, J Funk—Jun. 20, Miss DJ

Frankie M—Jun. 21, Jessica Who—Jun. 27, Danny Stern—Jun. 28

The Showroom & Grand Ballroom:

Whitesnake—Jun. 5, Hairwars—Jun. 7, Robin Trower—Jun. 11,

Peter Frampton & Cheap Trick—Jun. 14, 311—Jul. 2

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino—Flagstaff, AZ—855.946.8946


Vee Quiva Casino—Laveen, AZ—800.946.4452

VQ Live:


Event Center:

DSB: An American Journey (Journey Tribute)—Jun. 19, Pow-

erdrive—Jun. 20, Los Humildes de Los Hermanos Ayala—Jun. 26

Wild Horse Pass Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452

AiRIA Unplugged—Live music Fri & Sat 4pm-2am

Encore Lounge—Featuring a variety of live music nightly

Classics With A Twist—Featuring jazz music & cocktails Thu-Sun

Showroom:

Banda MS—Jun. 5, OneGunn, One Love (Bob Marley Tribute)—Jun.

6, Mariachi Vargas 2015—Jun. 12, Hannibal Buress—Jun. 13, Tears

For Fears w/ special guest Carina Round—Jun. 19, Air Supply—Jun.

20, Don’t Look Back (Boston Tribute)—Jun. 21, Three Dog Night—

Jun. 26, Intocable—Jun. 27, Catch A Wave (Beach Boys Tribute)—

Jul. 3, American Hitmen & The GIs of Comedy—Jul. 4

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Presents:

Marshall Tucker Band June 19

The Lounge will play host to the Marshall Tucker Band on

June 19 at 8pm. One of the major Southern rock bands of the

'70s, the Marshall Tucker Band was formed in Spartanburg,

SC, in 1971. The group's style combines rock, country, and

jazz and features extended instrumental passages.

JT Hodges June 27

On Saturday, June 27 at 8pm, Texas newcomer, JT Hodges

takes the stage, bringing his original and raucous sound to

The Lounge. His soulful lyrics have made him an undenia-

ble country-rock artist, producing alongside award-winning

songwriters and touring with such artists as Eric Church, Eli

Young Band, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and others.

These free concerts are on a first-come first-serve basis, with

wristbands available two hours prior to showtime at the

Main Casino Entrance. There are plenty of other live perfor-

mances all month long, just visit HarrahsAkChin.com for

more information. $

Verify all details & age restrictions (generally 21 & over) for each event. Venues, times, dates, & ticket

information are subject to change. Photos/images copyright of the individual artist(s), photographer(s),

or venue(s). All Rights Reserved. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.


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Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 05/01/15 & direct inquiries by press time. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.

Contact [email protected] to make updates. *Cocopah Resort Casino offers “Smoke-Free Sundays” which is a casino-wide non-smoking experience every week from 4am Sunday to 4am Monday.

Casino Sessions Seats Smoke-Free Area Electronic Late Night

Apache Gold Su, We, Th at Noon. Fr & Sa at

7pm. 1st Mo of the month at 7pm 100 No Yes No

BlueWater Mo-We 6:30pm. Su at 1:30pm. 400 Yes Yes No

Casino Arizona Mo-Su at 6:30pm

Daily Matinees at 12:30pm 1000 Yes Yes

L8 Nite Bingo Fr & Sa

Doors at 10pm. Games at midnight

Casino Del Sol Daily at Noon, 1:30, 2:15, 6:30 &

7:15pm 600 Yes Yes Cosmic Bingo Sa at 11pm.

Cocopah Daily at 1:30 & 6:30pm 350 Yes* Yes No

Desert Diamond I We-Mo 1:30, 2, 6, 6:30 & 7pm 300 Yes Yes No

Fort McDowell Sa & Su at 6:45am. We-Mo at

9am. Daily at 12:30 & 6:30pm. 1275

Yes (2 sections: enclosed or in

general seating)

Yes Fr & Sa at 11:30pm.

Call for Lunar Bingo schedule.

Harrah’s Ak-Chin We-Su at 11:30am, 2:30, 3:30,

and 6:30pm 470 Yes Yes No

Lone Butte Sa & Su: 10, Noon, 3:45, 5:30pm.

Daily: Noon & 6:30pm. 750 Yes Yes B.A.D. Bingo Fr & Sa at 11:30pm.

Mazatzal Mo-Th at Noon.

Tu & Th at 6:30pm. 280 Yes Yes No

Paradise Tu-Su at 1:30pm

Mo-Fr at 6pm. 300 Yes Yes

Call for Kozmic Bingo

& Other Special Dates

Twin Arrows Th-Su at 7pm & Su at 3pm. 100 No Yes No

Vee Quiva Daily at Noon & 6:30pm. 366 Yes Yes Bingo Eclipse Sa at 11pm.

CASINO BINGO

he Paradise Casino Bingo Hall in Yuma has been heat-

ing up with several big winners in April!

June 14th Flag Day: $500 Must Go Special at the 6pm session.

June 21st Father’s Day: The session starts at 1:30pm and offers

a $25 Paper Buy-In / $47 & $77 Electronic Buy-in and includes 10

main games paying $300 with $500 Specials and the Double

Action Coverall for $1,199. Plus, there are free Father’s Day

Dauber’s while they last!

Monday & Wednesday Bonanza Gold Nights: Starting at 6pm,

players can come out and try their luck with the Bonanza Spe-

cial and win a chance at the Big Progressive Jackpot or a $500

consolation. The Bonanza Jackpot is valued at over $11,000.

Thursday Nights No Split Bingo: If you are tired of sharing

PARADISE CASINO BINGO HALL June Schedule Of Games, Promotions, And Winners

your bingo winnings, this is your night! The No Split Bingo ses-

sion begins at 6pm and no matter how many winners bingo

together on the main games, each winner will receive $100. No

Split Bingo is not valid on Hot Ball or other Specials. $

T

By Mark Novak

Mary Jo Garewal $2,450.95 Sammy Colter $2,621.95

Progressive Coverall 4/10/15 Progressive Coverall 4/28/15



http://www.tournevent.com/

Fifth, the slots are more volatile, way more volatile. When I

come across a slot that a slot manufacturer lists as “low volatili-

ty,” I am ready to laugh. Low volatility to me means a nine line

Texas Tea by IGT or similar game (Do you remember Texas Ted and

his armadillo in the oil derrick bonus?) The number of losing

spins between wins of any significance (like just getting your bet

back or, God forbid, twice or even five times your bet back) is so

long, sometimes it feels like the slot machine behaves like a vac-

uum cleaner!

All these reasons combine to generate frustration. The environ-

ment we are playing in now has changed. Us players can’t keep

going with the game design direction forced upon us by the slot

manufacturers forever. I do hope someone wakes up and smells

the coffee, and the conversation on the casino floors! $

Do YOU have something to rant or rave about?

Write me at: [email protected]

SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

ook, I know you are probably going to write off my rant as

coming from a frustrated loser, but I am really starting to get

fed up with the casinos and their slots! I feel I can’t win any-

more. I know I always walk away a loser and I’m actually not expect-

ing to be a winner, I just want to have my money last for a while so I

can get some fun out of the games. If I could just walk away even from

time to time, I think that would make me happy at this point. Also, it

doesn't seem to matter which casino I visit, the slots are all the same.

Nothing but tight, tight, tight. I used to be able to walk in to a casino

with $50 and occasionally come home with $50. Now, $500 isn’t

enough and all I do is lose, lose quickly, and walk away frustrated.

Candace Jergens—Chandler, Arizona

Candace, I truly feel your pain. Believe me when I say you are

not the only one who voices your opinion to me. As a matter of

fact, during my recent casino visits, I hear your comments all

around me. Other casino patrons are having the same topic of

conversation as you are, out loud, on the casino floor. If only the

casino had ears!

There are several points to make in response to your concerns.

The first is I want to make sure everyone understands a bankroll

should only be made up of money budgeted for entertainment

and walking in or out of a casino frustrated is not a good thing.

Second, slot machine design has changed over the past ten years

or so. Gone are the good old days when playing a nine line

“dribbler” slot and winning $20 in a bonus round for a total of

400 nickels was a good time. Those games allowed you to con-

tinue playing with only a small bankroll.

Third, pay close attention to the minimum bets of the newest

machines, even those slots that have come out in the past five

years. Many of them start at 30, 40, even 50 credits! We used to

play 9 or 15 credits. Heck, 20 credits was a stretch already ten

years ago!

Fourth, the most popular denomination of the slots on the casi-

no floor is pennies. It used to be nickels. With that change came

a decrease in overall payback percentage. Most nickel games in

larger casinos are probably set in the low to mid 90% payback

range and most penny slots are in the high 80% payback range.


L

THE SLOTS ARE SET SO TIGHT A Frustrated Reader Says What We Are All Thinking … “This Sucks!”

By Sami Becker



FUN FACTS

he Arizona Department of Gaming announced that

statewide tribal contributions increased for a third con-

secutive quarter. Tribal contributions to the State from

gaming revenue will be approximately $25.2 million for the

quarter that ended March 31, 2015. This is a 4.7 percent increase

when compared to the same quarter of last year.

“Since September of last year, we have remained optimistic that

tribal contributions would continue to grow and reflect an im-

proving State economy,” said Daniel Bergin, Director of the

Arizona Department of Gaming. “This sustained growth is a

positive sign not only for our State, but most importantly for the

crucial programs this funding supports.”

The quarterly tribal contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund

will be distributed as follows:


ARIZONA BENEFITS FUND Quarterly Tribal Gaming Contributions On The Rise

T

By Mark Novak

Instructional Improvement Fund/Education: $12,690,958

Trauma and Emergency Services Fund: $ 6,345,479

Arizona Department of Gaming Operating Costs: $ 2,000,000

Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund: $ 1,812,994

State Tourism Fund: $ 1,812,994

Problem Gambling: $ 503,315

Total Contributions: $25,165,740

The Arizona Department of Gaming, in partnership with Arizo-

na’s tribes, regulates Indian gaming. Under the Arizona Tribal-

State Gaming Compact, tribes with casinos contribute one to

eight percent of their Class III gross gaming revenue to the state,

cities, towns and counties. In Arizona, Class III gaming includes

slot machines, jackpot poker, blackjack, keno and off-track pari-

mutuel betting. Tribes send contributions to the Arizona Bene-

fits Fund every three months. $


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SUDOKU Each of the columns, rows, and nine 3 x 3 grids must contain

all of the digits 1 - 9. None of the digits may appear more than

once in each column, row, and 3 x 3 grid.

(Solution on page 46)

9

4

6

1

9

2

7 6

8

9

3

6 7

4

3

3 5

8

2

4 6 9

8

4 3

5

WORD SEARCH

In honor of Flag Day on June 14th, find: STARS, FOURTEENTH,

RED, AMERICAN, CEREMONY, CONGRESS, OLD GLORY, ALLE-

GIANCE, RESPECT, STRIPES, FIFTY, WHITE, PATRIOTIC, MEMO-

RIAL, PARADE, UNION, BANNER, THIRTEEN, JUNE, BLUE,

BETSY ROSS, HOLIDAY, PLEDGE, SYMBOL, HISTORY.

Words appear in any direction. (Solution on page 46)

L S Q W C S S R G N O C E U S

P N A O H C I T E E N U R T H

H L A B E I S A R S Y P P V T

I M E C E N O R Z F S A G T V

S S X D I X F F H M T L O U E

T S C F G R L R I O E R L Y J

O O E X O E E G L S F L M I E

R R R T Z U Y T I O P G B D M

Y Y E A B L A Y D R E I F R M

U S M M O L E L A I S A R B T

N T O N B O E E Y A L N D U B

I E N O L D D A D L S C E S E

O B Y T C E E N R C S E R P S

N V P A T R T C T A Y T I I O

Y W Z M R E A O U H P C B N N

FUN & GAMES


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CASINO DIRECTORY


City Phone Slots Hig

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Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 05/01/15 & direct inquiries by press time. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.

Contact [email protected] to make updates. *Cocopah Resort Casino offers “Smoke-Free Sundays” which is a casino-wide non-smoking experience every week from 4AM Sunday to 4AM Monday

RV

Par

k

Go

lf

Location Sp

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Arc

ade

01. Apache Gold Casino Resort Hwy. 70, 5 mi. E. of Globe Globe 800-272-2438 598 Y Y Y Y Y Y

02. BlueWater Resort & Casino 11300 Resort Drive Parker 888-243-3360 524 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

03. Bucky’s Casino 1500 E. Hwy. 69 Prescott 800-756-8744 320 Y Y Y Y

04. Casino Arizona 101 & McKellips Scottsdale 480-850-7777 904 Y Y Y Y

05. Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd. Tucson 855-765-7829 1,065 Y Y Y Y Y Y

06. Casino of the Sun 7406 S. Camino De Oeste Tucson 855-765-7829 289

07. Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel I-17, Exit 289 Camp Verde 800-381-7568 652 Y Y Y Y Y

08. Cocopah Resort Casino 15318 S. Ave. B Somerton 800-237-5687 509 Y Y Y Y* Y Y Y

09. Desert Diamond Casino I 7350 S. Nogales Hwy. Tucson 866-332-9467 1,089 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

10. Desert Diamond Casino II I-19, Exit 80 Tucson 866-332-9467 675 Y

11. Desert Diamond Casino-Why Hwy. 86, Milepost 55 Why 866-332-9467 58

12. Fort McDowell Casino Hwy. 87 & Ft. McDowell Rd. Fort McDowell 800-843-3678 904 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

13. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 15406 N. Maricopa Rd. Maricopa 480-802-5000 1,089 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

14. Hon-Dah Casino 777 Hwy. 260 Pinetop 800-929-8744 825 Y Y Y Y

15. Lone Butte Casino 1077 S. Kyrene Rd. Chandler 800-946-4452 786 Y Y Y

16. Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Hwy. 87, 1/4 mi. S. of Payson Payson 800-777-7529 419 Y Y Y Y Y Y

17. Paradise Casino 450 Quechan Dr. Yuma 888-777-4946 486 Y

18. Quechan Casino I-8, Exit 166 Winterhaven, CA 877-783-2426 1,000+ Y Y Y Y Y Y

19. Spirit Mountain Casino 8555 Hwy. 95 Mohave Valley 928-346-2000 247

20. Talking Stick Resort 101 & Indian Bend Scottsdale 480-850-7777 759 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

21. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino I-40, Exit 219 Flagstaff 855-946-8946 1,085 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

22. Vee Quiva Casino 6443 Komatke Ln. Laveen 800-946-4452 950 Y Y Y Y Y

23. Wild Horse Pass Casino 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd. Chandler 800-946-4452 950 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

24. Yavapai Casino 1505 E. Hwy. 69 Prescott 800-756-8744 243 Y

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Sudoku Solution

2 9 8

4 3 1

7 6 5

1 7 6

9 8 5

3 4 2

4 3 5

7 2 6

8 1 9

8 1 9

3 2 7

6 5 4

6 2 7

5 9 4

8 3 1

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6 8 1

2 9 7

5 8 3

1 7 6

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2 5 8

7 1 3

1 7 2

9 4 3

5 6 8

Word Search Solution

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