Can Slot Developers Play Their Own Machines For Real Money???

**slotspert** · 05-31-2012, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by player

Hi, in the San Diego area casinos the workers told me they are only restricted from playing at the casino they work in.

Hey Warren (Coushattaslots)... from the "horses mouth" himself, if I (or Bartsimpson

) worked for you within your casino, can we come in, on our days off, and play any of your slots like a regular customer???

**CoushattaSlots** · 05-31-2012, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by slotspert

Hey Warren (Coushattaslots)... from the "horses mouth" himself, if I (or Bartsimpson

) worked for you within your casino, can we come in, on our days off, and play any of your slots like a regular customer???

Working for a casino and being able to play in the casino will depend first upon the regulations, then the policy of the casino. I think I need to give a little background for the answers to make sense.

In Colorado, you have 3 different types of employees. Unlicensed, which would be anyone that doesn't have contact with "gaming money". This would include people in Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, etc... If you wanted your Bartenders to be able to make change for the slot machines, then the Bartender would have to have a gaming license. If he/she only made change for selling drinks (non gaming money) then he or she would not need to be licensed. Then, the next category would be "Support License". This is the license that most employees would have. General Managers, Directors, Casino Shift Managers and anyone else "having significant decision making authority over the operation" would need to have a "Key License". This is a much deeper background investigation and it takes longer to get.

So, that being said, in Colorado you can't play in the casino you work in if you have a gaming license. This means by regulation people without a gaming license can play in the casino they work in. Most casinos do not allow their unlicensed people to play either.

Where I am now, everyone is licensed, but it's up to the casino to set the policy. Directors and the General Manager cannot play at all at Coushatta. Table game employees cannot play table games and slot employees cannot play slots. (Which every time I tell my staff how excited I am to get a cool new game they remind me that they wish they could play it

There are some additional rules for employees that can play here. They can't play the high limit slots, can't play progressives over $5K, and a few other little rules.

The reasoning behind not letting slot (or any) employees play slots is that it could lead to negative situations which might pit employees against guests in disputes. For example, let's say a Slot Attendant is helping a guest (we'll call her Mary) in his/her section all day and the guest is steadily losing. At 5PM the Slot Attendant clocks out and sits down at the machine Mary just left and hits a jackpot. Mary could say that the Slot Attendant "knew it was going to hit" and/or "she watched me lose all day and then swooped in to win all my money", things like that. Now, of course there's no logic or truth to this, but many people don't fully understand that each spin is random and independent of the last spin. So, it's a perception thing. At one time slot employees could play here, but that was changed before I came to Coushatta.

I have no doubt that game designers play all kinds of games although their company could set policies against it. Some of my vendor sales reps can play any and all games, while others can't play their own games. The larger slot companies are usually the ones that limit their people.

**slotspert** · 05-31-2012, 10:09 PM

Thanks, Warren, for another excellent and complete answer. On your comment from your post that says:
Which every time I tell my staff how excited I am to get a cool new game they remind me that they wish they could play it
.. there is always the SMF that they can go to to discuss their feelings...

**The Shamus** · 05-31-2012, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by slotspert

Thanks, Warren, for another excellent and complete answer. On your comment from your post that says:
Which every time I tell my staff how excited I am to get a cool new game they remind me that they wish they could play it
.. there is always the SMF that they can go to to discuss their feelings...

Haha ... good idea. Hey ... that Warren guy is the best!

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\

**DrVeronica** · 05-31-2012, 10:21 PM

Interesting subject... I don't think I would care if they played their own games, progressive or not.

**onenickelmiracle** · 05-31-2012, 10:39 PM

CS, verging a bit, but do you think any of the people running FB pages need to be licensed?

**irishmae11** · 06-01-2012, 12:25 AM

I asked Dan at IG this question tody and he said he can play his machines...at least here in IL.

**slotspert** · 06-01-2012, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by Meedis

Wish I caught this thread earlier...would've asked Dan...but I think they should be able to since they have no particular affiliation with any particular casino and as others said no particular advantage once it's out the company's doors.

Originally Posted by irishmae11

I asked Dan at IG this question tody and he said he can play his machines...at least here in IL.

Meedis, your question was asked and answered by irishmae11... So Dan at IT can play his own machines!!!

**inaminute** · 06-01-2012, 01:11 AM

Mark Nicely, when he designed games for IGT, was not only allowed to play, he was required to play the games with his own money. This info is in the link in my signature line.