arizona gaming guide magazine - march 2014 - 06:03

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04 EDITOR’S NOTE

06 PLAYERS TALK

08 GREAT GAMES

17 WINNING WAYS

18 GAMING NEWS

24 ARIZONA LOTTERY

26 FEATURE STORY

28 CASINO DINING

30 TRIBAL NEWS

33 CASINO GOLF

34 LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

38 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

40 CASINO NIGHTLIFE

42 HOT DEALS

44 CASINO BINGO DIRECTORY

46 FUN & GAMES

48 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

50 CASINO DIRECTORY

DEPARTMENTS

azgamingguide.com | March 2014 | Arizona Gaming Guide 03

MILLIONAIRE SEVENS

BY BALLY TECHNOLOGIES

The popular game gets a makeover,

retains the ladder bonus, and adds a

choose your own free games bonus.

MGM’S THE LION’S SHARE

SLOT “DUE” FOR JACKPOT

This machine at the MGM in Las

Vegas hasn’t paid in years. Find out

all the inside details about the slot.

THE AZ OFFICE OF PROBLEM

GAMBLING HOLDS THEIR

SYMPOSIUM, MARCH 3RD.

CASINO DJS RAMSES JA &

Q WARD GIVE BACK

Staff writer Ramses Ja lets us in on a

new charitable venture he created to

give back to the community.

http://www.azgamingguide.com/

Problem Gambling Awareness Is In March!

Problem Gambling Awareness is always a serious topic for the Arizona Gaming

Guide. Every March, the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling hosts a symposium on the

topic and Governor Jan Brewer officially makes the same week of the symposium

Arizona’s Problem Gambling Awareness week. This year is no exception, the

Problem Gambling Awareness Symposium is on Monday, March 3, 2014.

This issue has the scoop on exciting new slots by Bally and other slot machine

manufacturers with games coming to casinos near you. Plus, gaming industry

veteran Al Moe gives us the inside scoop on Let It Ride. Staff writer Lee Allen

provides us with an in-depth look at the Tohono O’odham’s Rodeo in Sells, Arizo-

na. Entertainment writer Ramses Ja discusses the new charitable venture he is

involved in. As always, we also give you the latest information on gaming news,

hot deals, entertainment, bingo, and so much more!

Please visit us 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 our March issue and have fun!

Cheers!

Alexandra Lang

Editor-in-Chief

[email protected]

Alexandra

VOLUME 06 • ISSUE 03

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

Ramses Ja

Cindy Esquer

Lee Allen

Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford

Riley Meredith

Samantha Becker

Lana Hartmann

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 © 2014 The Arizona Gaming Guide.

All rights reserved.

The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and

gaming related facts as well as personal opinions and expects the

reader to make his or her own decisions. All responses to reader

posts, e-mails and letters are to be considered as advice only. AGG

accepts no responsibility and no liability for any actions of our

readers based on the articles and advertisements presented within

this publication. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks and trade

names, etc. are the sole property of their respective owners.

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 | March 2014 | azgamingguide.com

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azgamingguide.com | November 2013 | Arizona Gaming Guide 29


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PLAYERS TALK Q&A On Everything Gaming


Q: I have been playing video poker now for 36 years,

gambling at least once a week. The only game that I still

have not had a winner of Five-Of-A-Kind is Joker Pok-

er. I have had Wild Royals, natural Royal Flushes but

never Five-Of-A-Kind. My question is: what are the

odds of hitting Five-Of-A-Kind in Joker Poker? Thank

you. Love your magazine.

Joan Muglia – Fountain Hills, AZ

Joan, thank you for your kind words about our magazine and I

am saddened to hear Joker Poker’s Five-Of-A-Kind eludes you!

In fact, since you report winning Wild Royals and Royal

Flushes, you should have had a few Five-Of-A-Kinds by now.

As you may know, there are three versions of Joker Poker pay

tables: Kings or better, Aces or better, and Two Pair or better.

Within each pay table type, the actual pays of individual hands

will vary from game to game and casino to casino. If we exam-

ine all three pay table categories along with all possible pay

variations within each pay table and assume you play the game

with perfect strategy, we find the chances of winning a Five-Of-

A-Kind to be between 0.000091 and 0.000094. This means you

should see a Five-Of-A-Kind roughly once in every 10,638 to

10,989 hands.

To put this value into some perspective, when we perform the

same analysis for the Wild Royal, we see one Wild Royal

roughly once in every 9,259 to 13,333 hands as the strategy for

this hand varies greatly between pay tables. Looking at the

same numbers for the Natural Royal, we see a Royal roughly

once in every 38,461 to 62,500 hands. For Royals, the number

we like to identify most often is 1 in 40,000 hands as it applies

to almost all variants and pay tables of Video Poker.

Essentially, when playing Joker Poker, you should experience a

Five-Of-A-Kind every time you win a Wild Royal and you

should see about four Five-Of-A-Kinds and four Wild Royals

for every time you win a Royal Flush. Based on your account,

you are long overdue for a Five-Of-A-Kind! By this time, play-

ing Joker Poker for almost four decades you could have even had

a Five-Of-A-Kind dealt to you! For your reference, we’ve listed

the best pay tables for each type of Joker Poker on this page. We

all hope your stats turn around soon on Joker Poker. Good luck

and have fun!

Q: I really enjoy playing the slot with the Gold Class

train game (Aristocrat’s Cash Express) but want to know

if the minimum/maximum bet affects the slot game or

the Cash Express part of the game. The Cash Express is

affiliated with several slot games such as Pompeii, More

Chilli and More Hearts. If I do the maximum bet will

the games (Pompeii, More Chilli, and More Hearts) pay

more? Also, if I bet the maximum amount and am lucky

to get the Cash Express train cars would the train cars

have higher amounts on them?

I told my husband that I think the maximum bet would

only affect the actual slot game such as Pompeii, More

Chilli and More Hearts and not affect the Cash Express

(train game). I’ve tried different bets but can’t figure this

out.

Any ideas as to the minimum or maximum bet to get the

and get a $25 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].

Joker Poker Kings Aces Two Pair

Natural Royal Flush 4000 4000 5000

Five-Of-A-Kind 1000 1000 500

Wild Royal Flush 500 500 250

Straight Flush 250 250 250

Four-Of-A-Kind 100 100 100

Full House 35 45 50

Flush 25 25 30

Straight 15 15 25

Three-Of-A-Kind 10 10 10

Two Pair 5 5 5

Aces Or Better 5 5 -

Kings Or Better 5 - -

Payback 100.64% 98.42% 99.92%


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Q&A On Everything Gaming PLAYERS TALK


most amounts on the train cars? Even if you don’t post

this can you please send me an answer on email? Thank

you.

Judy Johnson – Sedona, AZ

Judy, excellent question about Aristocrat’s Cash Express. This

brand of progressive system for slots has been around for over a

decade and has been very popular with players. The original

version was introduced shortly after the millennium and the

latest version (Cash Express Gold Class) was introduced just a

few years ago. I’m sure you are not alone in wondering exactly

how Cash Express works and what the best way to play the

game is.

Here’s what we know about how the system works. The higher

your bet the more likely it is you will enter the Cash Express

bonus, so it definitely benefits players to bet max when playing

Cash Express. Furthermore, the values shown on the trains

during the Cash Express game are the same regardless of the

bet made. Your bet only influences your chances of being

awarded the Cash Express and nothing else.

Having played Cash Express over the years we do have some

additional insights about the game. We estimate that once in

the Cash Express game, players will win the Mini Jackpot

about 80% of the time, the Minor Jackpot about 18% of the

time, the Major Jackpot about 1% of the time and the Grand

Jackpot a fraction of a percent of the time. What this means is

players will win the Mini every 1.25 times, Minor every 5.56

times, Major every 100 times, and Grand every 1000 times

they trigger the Cash Express Bonus. (Please note that these

values are estimates based on our experience as slot machine

game designers having played Cash Express and represent

long term probabilities.)

Having played the game, we can tell you that the train car

amounts don’t change with bet and neither do the jackpot val-

ues. All other wins on the slot game itself (Pompeii and so on)

do scale with bet. However, since the wins on the slot scale pro-

portionally, if you are not comfortable playing max bet, you

aren’t missing out by playing minimum bet or some other non-

max bet value.

Realize that the original version of Cash Express was far sim-

pler than the current version of Cash Express Gold Class. The

Gold Class games have two extra bonus games in addition to

Cash Express (the Multiplier Wheel Bonus and the Gold Class

Bonus). As a result, the new Cash Express is a very different

experience from the original Cash Express. Hopefully this gives

you the insight you are looking for. Good luck out there! $


http://www.azgamingguide.com/index_files/giveaway.htm

GREAT GAMES Table Games—Let It Ride


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.

he table game of Let It Ride was one of the first new poker

games introduced by the company Shufflemaster (now

Bally Technologies) nearly 20 years ago. It uses a standard deck

of 52-cards and offers a game with two unique twists: players

may take back part of their original wager and the player does

not play against the dealer. Instead, each player is dealt three

cards, face-down, and the dealer keeps two community cards

used by each player to make their best five-card hand.

To begin play, each player must make three wagers (usually a

minimum of $5), each the same, inside three circles. The first

circle has a dollar sign and must play at all times. However, the

next two wagers are different. After seeing their cards, players

may choose to take one of their three wagers back. Then, the

dealer will expose one of their cards and players may take back

a second wager or follow the game’s namesake and “let it ride.”

When the players have made their decisions, the dealer exposes

their second card and then turns over each player’s cards in

order to determine who gets paid. Any hand of a pair of tens or

higher is paid. Players lose their wagers if their final hand is

below a pair of tens. A standard pay scale for winning hands is: Royal Flush (Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten of the same suit) 1000 to 1

Straight Flush 200 to 1

Four of a Kind 50 to 1

Full House 11 to 1

Flush 8 to 1

Straight 5 to 1

Three of a Kind 3 to 1

Two Pair 2 to 1

Tens or Better 1 to 1

The game of Let It Ride has a house edge of 3.5% and goes at a

decidedly slower pace than blackjack. However, it also offers

two side or bonus bets. The first is a 3-card bonus, based solely

on the player’s own three-card hand. The payoffs are similar to

those in Three Card Poker and the wager is often called Pair

Plus, since any pair or higher is a winner. This wager is usually

a minimum of $5 and the house edge sits at about 7%.

The second bonus wager costs just $1 to play and is made by

placing a chip on the light-up circle in front of the other bets.

This constitutes a wager on the player’s best five-card poker

hand and pays with a minimum of a pair of tens, or two pair,

depending on the casino. The highest payoff is for a Royal

Flush, at 20,000 to 1.

Let It Ride Simplified Strategy:

Take advantage of the game’s option to pull your wagers

back on poor hands.

“Let It Ride” only with the following three cards: A winner -

Pair of tens or higher, Three cards to a straight flush, Pull

back all the rest!

With four cards, “Let It Ride” with: A winner - Pair of tens or

higher, Four cards to a flush, Four cards to a straight (but not

an inside straight such as 4, 5, 7, 8), Pull back all the rest! $

T

By Al Moe


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New Slots GREAT GAMES

All The New Slots

At Talking Stick Resort:

Sky Rider Golden Amulet and Sky Rider Silver Treasure by

IGT. Deal or No Deal—In It To Win It by Spielo. Double

Gold, Triple Diamond, and Triple Double Hot Peppers (Fast

Hit Progressives) by IGT

At Casino Arizona:

Double Gold, Triple Diamond, and Triple Double Hot Peppers

(Fast Hit Progressives) by IGT. El Grand Festival, Island

Eyes, Sumatran Storm, and The Swordsman by IGT. Centipede

(Reel Edge Skill) by IGT. Sky Rider Golden Amulet and Sky

Rider Silver Treasure by Aristocrat. Sex and The City by IGT

was converted from 2 cents to 1 cent denomination. Carnival

In Rio and Wild Pixies by Multimedia.

Brand New Games @ TSR & Casino Arizona lan a trip to Casino Arizona as soon as you finish reading

this article. The slot department made Centipede by IGT

available for play on February 6th.

Why should readers care? This slot is one of the only games out

there where player skill affects the bonus round’s pays. Trigger-

ing the bonus in this game lets slot enthusiasts play Centipede

as if they were back in the arcades of the 1980s! Best of all, the

further up the levels players go during the bonus, the more they

win. And that’s not all, there are bonus meters (similar to a pro-

gressive) to be won on each level during the bonus round!

Centipede’s base game uses the popular Super Times Pay math and

functions like a standard slot machine. A skill-based bonus

round with retro music and arcade symbols allows players to

use the original Atari Centipede play mechanics. During the

bonus game, players use the joystick (sorry, there’s no track

ball!) to move through three levels where they dodge spiders,

fleas and the Centipede while attempting to generate large wins.

This Reel Edge slot is the only regulatory-approved, skill-based

gaming system in the market.

P

Centipede Pop Culture Fun Facts:

Over 20 million Atari Centipede games have been sold since 1980.

Centipede has appeared in multiple major films from 1980 to 2010.

The game has appeared on multiple gaming systems, includ-

ing 25 different platforms ranging from mobile devices to other

popular gaming consoles. $



GREAT GAMES New Slots

ristocrat’s newest slot game, The Walk ing Dead based on AMC’s hit TV series, is now

at BlueWater Casino in Parker, Arizona!

The Walking Dead slot game has a 75 credit minimum bet and a 300 credit maximum bet and is

packed with clips from the show, unique features, and an abundance of bonus opportunities.

Bonus features include Reel Growth , where reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 will randomly grow to a

height of 5, 6, or 7 high; Wild Attack , where random positions in Reel Growth are replaced

with Wilds; The Horde , where horde reveals a winning combination on the reels in Reel

Growth. In Atlanta Wheel Bonus, players win credits, jackpots, CDC Wheel or Escape from

Atlanta Free Games. In CDC Wheel, players can win credits, multiple prizes with the Gre-

nade or trigger Walker Bonus spins with a multiplier. Players win free games in Escape

From Atlanta Free Games and there is a Grand Jackpot that starts at $500,000! Just like the show,

Aristocrat has made sure this new slot will keep players on the edge of their seats!

Plus, BlueWater is also the first casino to let us know about the new Bally slot machine with

the curved screen featured in the New Slots section of the January 2014 issue! The 40-inch

HD touchscreen monitor is curved inward. The unique design gives players an enormous

area to play on without having to crane their neck up and down to take in all the action. It’s

right there in front where one can reach out and touch all the action. $

A

BlueWater first with Aristocrat’s Walking Dead

f you haven't tried the new Lord of The Rings game by WMS, now is a great

time to head up to Mazatzal in Payson, Arizona and check it out. This game

has it all and then some!

During the base game, three or more bonus symbols will trigger a bonus round.

During the game, players may earn trophies for certain events. Certain trophies

give the player the opportunity to unlock a new bonus the next time they trigger

a bonus. For players who collected ‘miles’ during previous Lord of The Rings

games, upon their initial sign-in to Player’s Life, their mile count will determine

how many bonuses are unlocked by default.

Bonus games include the Pelennor Fields Bonus, the One Ring Bonus, the Ring

Bonus, Helm’s Deep, Lighting of the Beacons, Arwen and Aragorn, Fall of the

Witch-king, and Crack of Doom. Make sure to play and trigger the Lighting of the

Beacons free games bonus. 8 free spins at 2x are awarded at the beginning of the

bonus. During the free spins, 3 bonus triggers will award 8 additional free spins.

There are Beacon Wild symbols on the reels that depict an unlit beacon. Any time

an unlit Beacon Wild appears on the reels, the beacon is lit and the multiplier in-

creases.

Make sure to visit www.youtube.com/wmsslots today for more information on

this and other unique gaming experiences! $

I

New WMS Slots at Mazatzal

Other brand new WMS slots at Mazatzal: •Ferris Bueller •Wizard of Oz—Ruby Slippers 2

Other brand new slots at BlueWater: Double Jackpot Triple Blazing 7’s and Double Jackpot Black & White on the brand new curved LCD

Blade slot machine cabinet by Bally. The Walking Dead by Aristocrat. Wizard of Oz—Ruby Slippers 2,

Super Monopoly Boardwalk Sevens, and Lord of The Rings Return of The King by WMS. Dynasty Rich-

es, Dragon’s Law, Mystical Ruins, Solstice Celebration, Wealth of the Orient, Moolah Piccu, China

Dream, Glittering Pyramids, Wall of Fortune, and Sparkling Twilight by Konami. True Blood by IGT.


http://www.youtube.com/wmsslots


Bally Technologies—New Slots Coming Soon GREAT GAMES

By Riley Meredith

eople have been playing Bally’s Millionaire Sevens for

years. There’s a good reason for that too; great games

have a long lifetime on the casino floor. The old adage

“Why fix what isn’t broken?” must be going through

your mind. Unlike so many remakes – whether they are movies,

games, slots, or otherwise – Bally was sure to keep what players

love about the original and add even more of what we like. You

will discover the exciting Millionaire Sevens on Bally’s popular

“Hammerhead” cabinet. Other titles you may have played on

this unique slot machine include Grease , Money Vault, Golden

Pharaoh, and Betty Boop’s Fortune Teller.

So first thing’s first – the Ladder Bonus. This is what we’ve

loved about the game all along. There’s no doubt the anticipa-

tion and excitement reaches new heights when this bonus is

triggered by three scattered Ladder Bonus symbols on reels one,

three, and five. A large, single reel appears and spins, advancing

your position up the ladder. You can move a single position or

multiple positions each time it spins, and keep on climbing until

“Collect” appears on the reel or you reach the top. You’ll be

awarded a multiplier ranging from 2X to 100X or the enormous

progressive jackpot if you can make it all the way.

So why is Millionaire Sevens better than ever? This new version

has the classic ladder bonus and a free-games feature that lets

you pick your free-game theme. When the free-games feature is

triggered, you’ll choose from one of three free-game options

including a Multiplier Wheel, Extra Wild Wheel, and Extra

Scatter Wheel. Each of these comes with a different number of

free games you’ll receive: 15 free games with a credit multiplier,

10 free games with extra wild symbols, or six free games with

an extra scatter-pay symbol. Once you make your choice, you

spin the corresponding wheel using Bally’s award-winning U-

Spin technology to find out what your multiplier, extra wild symbol,

or extra scatter-pay symbol will be.

All in all, this new version of Millionaire Sevens is shaping up

to be as good as the original and then takes things a few rungs

higher on the ladder of entertaining slots. Watch for Millionaire

Sevens to hit casino floors in the next few months as well as the

near-area progressive version, known as Tower of Power, a few

months after that.

To learn more about this game and other exciting new Bally

products, visit ballytech.com. $

P

One of Your Favorites Reborn


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WINNING WAYS

ur editorial team recently saw

a news story on yahoo.com

that discussed a classic three

reel stepper slot machine still available

for play at the MGM Grand in Las Ve-

gas. Unfortunately a lot of the reporting

about the actual slot game itself is incor-

rect and a quick internet search for more

information on the slot turned up a

whole host of websites and information

about this slot (and others) that is simply

plain wrong. So, we thought we’d set the

record straight (as we always do) and

remind everyone that most of what is

written about slot machines outside of

our magazine is incorrect or misleading.

The Lion’s Share slot machine is still

available for play at the MGM Grand in

Las Vegas. The Slot is an old three reel

stepper IGT S+ slot machine from the

1990s converted into an “MGM” slot

machine. If you look closely, you’ll see

the MGM’s logo on the pay table glass

and the reel strips. The practice of con-

verting IGT’s steppers into custom slots

was very common back in the day. There

was a whole sub-industry devoted to

making a “new” machine out of an old

one. In fact, there was nothing technical-

ly wrong with doing this aside from IGT

not liking it very much. As long as all the

info was exactly the same on the pay

glass and the reel strips IGT and the

gaming regulators couldn’t really do

anything about it. At times, IGT actually

encouraged it and this may well be one

of those cases.

What is really interesting is this game is

reportedly the last of an old bank of slots

still on the MGM floor. Even more excit-

ing is that the progressive has climbed to

well over $2.3 million. The reset value is

only $75,000. Talk about a slot being

“due” to hit, this one is it!

Our insights tell us that this is a re-

worked version of IGT’s Wild Cherry, if

you remember that blast from the past,

with massively increased pays for the

Wild symbol. Wild Cherry is a pretty

simple game. There are Blanks, some

Bars, one Red Seven, and the Wild sub-

stituting for the other symbols. Wild

O

By Lana Hartman

MGM’s Lion’s Share The Slot Machine That Doesn’t Want To Hit

Cherry has a top award hit rate of around

1 in 375,000 spins on average. The hit

frequency of any win on the game is

probably around 1 in 5 depending on the

exact pay table percentage selected by the

casino. By the way, games that are this

old do meet Nevada’s minimum payback

percentage requirement of 75%. So Wild

Cherry and Lion’s Share could be run-

ning at an insanely brutal long run 75%

payback at the minimum bet of 1 credit!

In order to make this game, IGT would

have had to adjust the math design by

making the probability of the Wild sym-

bol landing on the pay line less likely in

order to account for the vastly higher

pays for the Wild symbol. Most likely,

since the Wild was the only pay affected

by a factor of 2.5 and 25 respectively (200

to 500 and 1,000 to 25,000 for the 1 credit

Wild pays) between the versions, the

chances of winning the progressive is at

least on the order of 1 in 1 million. Of

course, the odds could have been

stretched to the max according to Ne-

vada’s gaming regulation which limits

odds on a slot’s highest prize to better

than 1 in 50 million spins.

What is interesting is that MGM actually

could have removed the machine and

redistributed the massive progressive

onto similar games on their casino floor

(Nevada Gaming Control Board, Regula-

tion 5, Operation Of Gaming Establish-

ments, Section 5.110 In-house progressive

payoff schedules), but they didn’t. I guess

they are capitalizing on the fact that the

machine hasn’t hit in such a long, long

time. Even with odds as “low” as 1 in 1

million, hitting the jackpot is not easy.

The next time you are in Las Vegas, make

sure to try out the slot at max bet. Be

aware that because of the slot’s age,

there’s no tickets and any and all “cash

out” activities are done via slot attendant

hand pays! $



GAMING NEWS

Change to a Challenging Environment?

The amazing growth of mobile gaming in both domestic

and foreign markets is one of the casino gaming industry’s most

talked about trends early in 2014. "The U.S. appears to be head-

ing towards the legalization of online and mobile gaming," says

Jacques LeDisco, publisher of Mobile Betting News. "Given the

current legal restrictions in the U.S., the growth markets for

mobile gaming are in social gaming, fantasy leagues and guest

loyalty programs sponsored by land casinos." The main obstacle

to the legalization of mobile gaming is the Professional and Am-

ateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, an act that effec-

tively outlawed sports betting nationwide, excluding a handful

of states.

The sports lotteries of Delaware, Montana and Oregon are ex-

cluded, along with the organized licensed sports books in Neva-

da. It is nicknamed the "Bradley Act" after then-New Jersey Sen-

ator Bill Bradley, ironically a former professional basketball

player himself, who spearheaded the passing of the bill. In re-

cent years, as individual states have felt the long-term revenue

decline of the Great Recession, more challenges to appeal PAS-

PA have occurred. Many industry insiders believe PASPA has

backfired because it is outdated and has placed hundreds of

billions of dollars in offshore gaming locations instead of keep-

ing that revenue in the U.S. This outcome has been highly criti-

cized in the current economic environment.

Dealing with the Devices

Establishing mobile gaming products that operate across all

platforms is a difficult task. The main operating systems of An-

droid, Android tablets, Blackberry, iPhone and iPad cover over

90 percent of available smart phones. Not surprisingly, it is easy

to make the correlation between the surge of the popularity of

mobile gaming domestically and internationally with the most

popular device, the iPhone. "The Apple economy and iPhone

sales are the main drivers in mobile gaming," says LeDisco.

"While iTunes does not allow real-money gaming apps for

download in the U.S. market, every major mobile gaming oper-

ator in European gaming jurisdictions offers iPhone apps. The

iTunes market faces competition from the Android market,

which has more liberal restrictions on gaming applications, and

from the growth of server-based mobile gaming platforms."

Getting a Grip on Geolocation

‘Geolocation’ is the generic term used for the identification of

the real-world geographic location of an inanimate object like a

computer terminal, mobile phone or radar. The specificity of

geolocation can range from broad targeting, like geographic

coordinates, to a more specific target like a street address. “We

recognize that geolocation is a very specialized field requiring

The Market for Mobile: Casino Industry Braces for Widespread Introduction of Mobile Gaming

By Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford

A


http://www.cocopahresort.com/

GAMING NEWS


lator. It is about doing that, meeting all

regulations and enabling our customers to

operate successfully while minimizing

false negatives and customer imitation.”

Free for All?

Free play, or social gaming, has taken the

U.S. by storm, as a prequel to the antici-

pated legislation to legalize mobile gam-

ing in the near future. Well-known indus-

try leader Zynga has served as the pioneer

for social gaming on personal computers

and mobile devices, partnering with Face-

book so friends can play against each oth-

er.

"Zynga Live Poker is by far the most pop-

ular mobile game," says LeDisco. "Of the

roughly 25 poker apps in the App Store,

none of them feature multiplayer net-

works rivaling Zynga's 4.8 million daily

players on Facebook, up to 80,000 of

whom are active at any moment. This

large user base and network infrastruc-

ture allow Zynga to hold regular tourna-

ments." To keep pace, traditional console-

game makers like Electronic Arts and slot

manufacturer International Game Tech-

nology (IGT) sped up their product en-

tries into the market. IGT began 2012 with

a $500 million acquisition of Double

Down Interactive, a developer of online

casino games on Facebook. To increase

IGT's relevance in the free play space, in

early May the company announced that

DoubleDown Casino has partnered with

the U.S.' most popular television show,

American Idol, to launch the free-to-play

American Idol Social Slots. The game is

available to all of DoubleDown's 5.4 mil-

lion monthly social gamers.

Bally Technologies showed the im-

portance of free play to its casino game

marketing in February 2013 by adding

four new titles to its mobile app games

library—Cash Wizard, Golden Pharoah,

Fireball and Betty Boop's Love Meter.

Using free play as an introduction to actu-

al games players will see on the real casi-

no property has been an efficient strategy.

Key industry players have only just begun

to utilize this strategy that already has

been identified as vital to build a new

generation of clientele, regardless of the

geographic location. So, unlike the real

estate industry, mobile gaming won’t be

all about location, location, location! $

custom technology for gaming purposes,”

says Anna Sainsbury, chief executive

officer of GeoComply, a geolocation ser-

vices provider. “We work with a wide

range of stakeholders in gaming, from

operators of casinos and lotteries to plat-

form providers, as well as a number of

partners providing services in payments,

fraud and other forms of verification.”

The pressing need for accurate geoloca-

tion services is exhibited by the demand

from legalized online poker. According to

the American Gaming Association, legal-

ized online poker would create 10,000

new jobs and over $2 billion in new tax

revenue. It took just over two weeks for

UltimatePoker.com to deal a million

hands of legal poker, demonstrating a

widespread technological demand never

seen in the gaming industry. “We current-

ly use a third-party partner to provide

location verification of the device by the

associated carrier coupled with our pro-

prietary technology to ensure there are

stringent controls,” says Abe Hong, chief

information officer of Station Casinos.

“These controls are over the device, the

phone number or SIM of the device, the

user account, and the location of these

attributes together to ensure we are com-

plying with Nevada Gaming regulations.”

Several state lotteries have already estab-

lished an online presence by offering tick-

et sales through mobile devices. The same

trends are also occurring in fantasy sports

and the sports book sector.

The Reality of Regulation

As with every aspect of the gaming indus-

try, the implementation of regulations

will loom large with geolocation in re-

gards to online and mobile gaming. Ob-

taining approvals from either state or fed-

eral regulatory agencies requires that us-

er’s physical location within a state or

territory be verified to allow bets to be

placed. “We continue to build products

and services that will conform to the

evolving state regulations,” says Hong.

For GeoComply, there are both consumer

and regulatory benefits in keeping their

technical product device-neutral. “We are

always looking in the long-term,” says

Sainsbury. “This is not just about getting a

solution through the test lab and the regu-


http://www.ballytech.com/


GAMING NEWS

Talking Stick Visitor Center Opens Just In Time For Spring Training Season

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Talking Stick Resort

and Butterfly Wonderland Will Offer Special Cultural Days

alking Stick, a Cultural and Entertainment Destination

(TSCED) and initiative of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa

Indian Community, has just opened the Talking Stick

Visitor Center to the public on February 25. It is located at 9120

E. Indian Bend, Suite E-10 in the Pavilions shopping center right

next to YC’s Mongolian restaurant.

The TSCED area is home to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick,

Talking Stick Resort, Talking Stick Golf Club, The Pavilions at

Talking Stick, the Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Salt River,

Butterfly Wonderland and coming this spring, Top Golf.

The visitor center is open for spring training now thru March

30, daily from 10am to 6pm and will serve two purposes. The

first is to be an information hub for the TSCED partners. The

Cultural ambassadors will be on hand to make tee times, dinner

reservations or hand out brochures and information to guests.

Second, it will offer visitors a unique experience into the rich

heritage of the Akimel O’odham (Pima—Meaning river people)

and Xalychidom Piipaash (Maricopa—Meaning people who live

toward the water) cultures through song, dance and art. There

are traditional dance performances and art demonstrations

offered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11am and 4pm.

There is also an interpretive exhibit by the Huhugam Ki Muse-

um and displays from the Salt River Two Waters Art Collection

offered daily at no charge to visiting guests.

“Whether it’s for the culture, recreation, shopping, staying or

dining, baseball fans and their families will find that our desti-

nation area has an amenity to satisfy every need,” Marketing

Project Manager Blessing McAnlis-Vasquez said. “The visitor

center will highlight cultural aspects of the Community that

provide our guests a unique and memorable experience. In ad-

dition, our destination partners offer specials, accommodation

packages or cultural days and the best part is that they are all

conveniently located along our complimentary trolley route to

and from the new visitor center.”

Yellow Bird world-renowned dancers will perform Fridays and

Saturdays at 6pm in the Fire Garden at the Talking Stick Resort.

“The desert climate this time of year is at its most inviting and

we want our hotel guests to come sit under the stars and enjoy

these legendary, Native American performers,” said Ramon

T

Martinez, Director of Public Relations for Talking Stick Resort.

“Every Spring Training season we try to bring a new cultural

offering to visitors around the country and around the world,

music and dance is something everyone can celebrate.”

Butterfly Wonderland, a destination partner that boasts the larg-

est butterfly atrium in North America, will host cultural experi-

ence days on March 1, 15, and 29. Visitors will be able to hear

short stories read by Martha Ludlow-Martinez, Miss salt River,

and ambassador to the SRPMIC and her court. Children will be

able to take home arts and crafts made with the assistance of

SRPMIC Cultural Ambassadors while parents can enjoy tradi-

tional dance group performances.

“This will be our first year feeling Spring Training Fever and

Butterfly Wonderland is proud to participate with the Salt River

Pima-Maricopa Indian Community team by presenting its cul-

tural days at Butterfly Wonderland,” said Executive Director

Mike Fox. “Knowing that there is a meaningful, cultural signifi-

cance of butterflies and nature to the Indian Community, we are

confident that the planned activities will be home runs by stim-

ulating, educating and entertaining visitors of all ages!”

For a complete schedule of the planned cultural events and

more information about the Talking Stick Visitor Center or the

Talking Stick Cultural and Entertainment Destination, please

visit their website at TalkingStickArizona.com. $



GAMING NEWS

he Arizona Department of Gaming announced that

tribal contributions to the state from gaming revenue

will be approximately $13.5 million for the quarter

that ended December 31, 2013. This is a 2.7 percent

increase from the same quarter of last year.

“While one quarter does not establish a trend, this increase is

welcome news for state programs that benefit from tribal contri-

butions,” said Dan Bergin, Director of the Arizona Department

of Gaming.

The quarterly tribal contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund

will be distributed as follows:

Instructional Improvement Fund/Education: $ 6,501,499

Trauma and Emergency Services Fund: $ 3,250,750

Arizona Department of Gaming operating costs: $ 1,581,034

Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund: $ 928,786

State Tourism Fund: $ 928,786

Problem Gambling: $ 269,201

TOTAL tribal contributions $13,460,056

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. There are currently 23 Class III casinos in the

state. Tribes send contributions to the state Arizona Benefits

Fund every three months. $

T

Tribal Gaming Revenue

Contributions

http://www.cliffcastlecasinohotel.com/


http://www.facebook.com/wmsslots

ARIZONA LOTTERY Winners


By Cindy Esquer

$500,000 Golden Ticket pays off

Moh

amed

Aou

fe

he color of the Golden Ticket instant scratch ticket caught

the attention of Mohamed Aoufe. When he buys tickets, he

likes to play the higher-priced ones, as he likes the payouts. So

it was a given that he would purchase this one.

Mohamed scratched the ticket at home and knew immediately

that he’d won $500,000. He yelled with excitement, which

caused his significant other to come see what the fuss was

about. At first, she didn’t believe him until he showed her the

ticket. It was an exciting moment for both of them.

Mohamed was born in New York, but moved here with family

a few years ago. He has his own retail business and loves living

here. If he gets homesick for snow, he said, “I can always visit

the northern part of the state.” At the top of his list of how he’s

going to spend the money is to share it with family. Then he

plans to pay down the mortgage on his home and invest the

rest.

The winning ticket was purchased at NR Tobacco and Gifts,

7445 W. Cactus Road, Peoria.

T oledad Morales loves all of the Crossword as well as Bingo

instant scratch tickets. Recently, Soledad purchased a King

Size Crossword from a Lottery vending machine. She scratched the

ticket at home.

At first, she wasn’t quite sure what she’d won, but she kept

checking and kept coming up with the same amount -- $50,000.

To be sure, she took the ticket to the store to have it checked.

When she was told she’d have to go to the Lottery to have it

redeemed, she knew that she really had won $50,000. It was

quite a shock, as the most Soledad had ever won was $25.

Soledad came to the Lottery with members of her family for

support, and she made sure she signed the back of the ticket

before she left the house. Judging from the smile on her face, she

was thrilled with her win. The money from this win will go a

long way toward helping the family. Soledad would like to buy

a house, and the money from this win might get her started.

The winning ticket was purchased at Safeway, 8021 N. 35th

Ave., Phoenix.

S

$50,000 King Sized Crossword

Sol

edad

Mor

ales

he Arizona Lottery announced that the winner of the $4.9

million The Pick jackpot from the drawing on January 25

has been claimed by a resident from Pinetop. The winner, who

wishes to remain anonymous, purchased his winning ticket

from the Safeway located at 20 E. White Mountain Blvd. in

Lakeside, AZ, and elected to take the lump sum option of

$2,972,633 before taxes. The winner, who came to the Lottery

office with his wife and two brothers, said he had been playing

The Pick using the same numbers for 23 years that included his birth

date and time of birth. The winner said he had stopped playing

a while ago, but decided to play his numbers one more time on

his birthday. “The Pick is Arizona’s own jackpot game, so it is

always exciting to present a large check to our jackpot winner,”

said Karen Bach, director of budget, products, and communica-

tions for the Arizona Lottery. “What an incredible birthday pre-

sent!”

T

2 Massive Pick & Powerball Wins! The Arizona Lottery announced that a Chandler resident has

claimed Arizona’s Powerball $2 million second prize winning

ticket from the drawing on January 25. This is the 29th second

place winning ticket won in Arizona since the game was

changed to $2. Albert Yates purchased the Power Play option,

which doubled his second place $1 million prize to $2 million.

This is the first $2 million Powerball with Power Play win in

Arizona. Yates purchased his winning ticket at the Fry’s Mar-

ketplace located at 985 E. Riggs Road in Chandler. He pur-

chased a total of three Quick Picks and said he always purchas-

es the Power Play option. Since he has teased his wife about

winning the Lottery in the past, she was in disbelief until she

checked the ticket herself. Yates works in the computer field and

plans to meet with a financial advisor to evaluate the best way

to save for retirement. The couple also plans to pay off some

bills and take a small trip to celebrate their win.



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. All

other areas in Arizona, call 1.800.499.3798.

Winners ARIZONA LOTTERY

he $1 million Mega Millions ticket from the December 24

drawing was redeemed today by a man who didn’t know

how much he’d won. Audel Acevedo of Mesa, a regular player

of Mega Millions, purchased a few more Quick Picks than usual

because it was Christmas Eve.

Due to the holiday and the fact that there were a lot of family

Au

del

Ace

vedo

Mesa Man Wins $1 Million!

T

visitors, he put the tickets away and forgot about them.

On Thursday, December 26, Audel remembered the tickets and

took them to the store to be checked. Audel works in the con-

struction field and was in a hurry to see a client.

When the clerk told him he would have to redeem his ticket at

the Lottery, he assumed he had won about $1,000. After his

business was completed, he came to the Lottery and received

quite a shock. His ticket was a million dollar winner.

Audel called his wife and children and, at his request, they

drove to the Lottery to be with him. Audel said, “If I’d realized

that the ticket was a winner, I would have been sure to sign it

right away. I was lucky nothing happened to it.”

The reality of winning this much money hadn’t really registered

with the family. Everyone was shaky, but thrilled.

Audel was trying to contact his CPA so they could decide on a

game plan. In the meantime, he said, “Besides giving back to the

community, there are a couple of things I would like to do that I

couldn’t do before. I’d like to purchase some investment proper-

ty and take my family to Brazil for the Soccer World Cup in

2014 if I can still get tickets.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Fry’s Food Store, 20797 W.

John Wayne Parkway, Maricopa. $


http://www.arizonalottery.com/


hile the vast majority of people can visit a casino for

an hour or so, purchase a lottery ticket or buy into a

football pool with friends and suffer no conse-

quences, there are two to three percent of American adults for

which the urge to gamble becomes overpowering. In fact, an

estimated six million people in the United States are addicted to

gambling. However, problem gambling affects far more people

because each of those six million people has family and friends

hurt by the collateral financial and emotional damage inflicted

by the person struggling with gambling addiction.

Healthcare professionals have identified behaviors which indi-

cate a person could have a gambling problem:

Using income or savings to gamble while bills go unpaid

Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to stop gambling

Breaking or considering breaking laws to finance gambling

Having depressed or suicidal thoughts because of gambling losses

Arguing with friends or family about gambling behavior

Compulsive gambling addiction, like drug and alcohol addic-

tion, creates increasingly difficult life issues and situations for

the gambler and gambler’s family. The following quiz asks

W questions relating to feelings, thoughts and behaviors associated

with gambling addiction and may help determine whether or

not someone has a gambling problem. Answering “yes” to one

or more of the quiz questions below could indicate a gambling

problem.

Have you ever felt the need to bet more and more money?

Have you ever lied to people who are important to you about the

amount you have gambled?

Have you repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop

gambling?

Do you gamble as a way of escaping emotional or physical pain?

Have you ever relied on others to provide money to relieve a desper-

ate financial situation caused by gambling?

Have you ever jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job or

career because of your gambling?

Have you gambled to get money with which to pay debts or to solve

other financial problems?

Have you borrowed money to finance your gambling?

Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?

Do you gamble to try to get your money back?



Fortunately there is help for those suffering from gambling ad-

diction. The first step is to call the Arizona Office of Problem

Gambling at 1-800-NEXT STEP to get free, confidential infor-

mation. Each caller will be connected with a knowledgeable,

caring professional who will listen in an empathetic, nonjudg-

mental way and connect sufferers with resources needed to deal

with problem gambling.

The Arizona Office of Problem Gambling website,

www.problemgambling.az.gov, is an additional avenue for

learning more ways to get support. The website offers a broad

range of resources designed to help problem gamblers, includ-

ing a list of the services provided.

One of the most effective tools offered to problem gamblers is

the self-exclusion program. This is an opt-in process which al-

lows a self-acknowledged problem gambler to voluntarily ex-

clude him or herself from entering all Tribal casinos within the

state of Arizona for a specified period of time. Problem gam-

blers can also sign up to ban themselves from access to casino

ATMs and Internet gambling sites.

Other resources offered include:

Tribal/State-funded out-patient treatment

Information on support programs for problem gamblers and

their families, including Gamblers Anonymous and GamAnon

Statistics from various sources concerning problem gambling

Each year the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling holds a sym-

posium on problem gambling. This year’s event will be held

Monday, March 3 at the Black Canyon Conference Center at

9440 N 25th Avenue in Phoenix, from 8am to 4pm.

The theme this year is “Problem Gambling – Sharing Ideas and

Resources.” The day will feature dynamic presentations on cur-

rent topics related to the prevention, education and treatment of

problem gambling.

The symposium keynote speaker is Dr. Jon E. Grant. Dr. Grant

is a Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience at the

University of Chicago, where he also supervises an out-patient

clinic for addictive-impulsive-compulsive disorders. He is the

author of ten books on impulsive and compulsive behaviors and

more than 275 scientific articles.

In addition, he is the Director of a Center of Excellence in Gam-

bling Research supported by the National Center for Responsi-

ble Gaming and editor in chief of the Journal of Gambling Stud-

ies. Dr. Grant will discuss gambling disorder in connection to

the DSM-5, along with the relationship between gambling and

substance use and implications for treatment.

Other topics to be presented include counseling for problem

gamblers, music therapy methods in the treatment of addiction,

mindfulness as a versatile approach for addictions and balanced

living, as well as a breakout session with individuals sharing

problem gaming recovery experiences. $

Arizona Office of Problem Gambling

2014 Symposium Event Details

Monday, March 3 from 8am—4pm

Black Canyon Conference Center

9440 N 25th Avenue, Phoenix

For more information on this event, point your browser to

www.problemgambling.az.gov.

To register by phone, call (480) 990-1887.


http://www.problemgambling.az.gov

http://www.problemgambling.az.gov

CASINO DINING


re you ready for some pizza? We certainly were the

last time our team visited Desert Diamond Casinos

in Tucson to have some fun and play some of their

slots!

The entire team was hungry and we wanted something quick

and along the lines of comfort food. Walking towards the food

court at the casino we noticed the Classico Pizza sign and were

immediately drawn in by their four specialty pizzas. The spe-

cial pies included the Meat Jackpot containing Pepperoni, Italian

Sausage, Bacon, Ham and Hamburger a delicious protein over-

load! Plus, our team’s favorite, the White Pizza with Alfredo

Sauce, Grilled Chicken, Spinach and Mushrooms. We also tried

the Desert Diamond Pizza which is a mash up of south of the

border and Italian which offered Hamburger, Roasted Corn,

Olives, Tomatoes, Cilantro, Black Beans, Jalapenos, Pepper Jack

and Chipotle Ranch. Finally, we can’t say enough about the

Philly Cheesesteak pizza. This special has Sliced Steak, Onion,

Green Peppers, Mushrooms and, of course, Provolone Cheese! If

A you aren’t in the mood for a specialty pizza, the chefs at Classi-

co Pizza will gladly make one to order just for you! The next

time you visit Desert Diamond Casinos in Tucson make sure to

stop in and grab a slice or a whole pizza! $


http://www.azgamingguide.com/counter/agg_counter_script.php?target=http://www.azgamingguide.com/

http://www.harrahsakchin.com/


TRIBAL NEWS

hen the Tohono O’odham Nation throws a parade,

along with a carnival and a rodeo, everybody turns

out, and everybody has a good time.

Southern Arizona’s sand people held their 76th annual pageant-

ry in early February and the town of Sells turned out in force to

welcome the festivities, lining the parade route along Main

Street and filling arena seating at the nearby livestock complex.

The tribal Rodeo and Fair Office termed it, “Our biggest and

most attractive event of the year with a purse of $35,000.” Tribal

Chairman Ned Norris Jr. was at the front of the nearly 100 pa-

rade entries telling the crowd, “A weekend like this brings us

together as a community, unites us as family and friends, and

provides an opportunity to hold true to our Himdag, celebrat-

ing our tradition and history, our values, practices, and the her-

itage that guide us.”

W Parade Grand Marshall was Verna Enos, who grew up in the

community of Ge Oidag [Big Fields] and spent 27 years as a

teacher. The belief in the importance of self-identity drove her to

connect with O’odham children by instilling the importance of

their way of life and the role it plays in everyday lives. “We

need O’odham tradition and culture to be a priority.”

Every entry got a chance to shine, from tribal administrators to

Miss Tohono O’odham Nation Malaya Antone to local bands

and cheerleaders to TOKA field game players. McGruff the

Crime Fighting Dog rode with the Nation’s police department

while veterans, elders, and little ones staffed their own floats

and candy and balloons were everywhere.

Once the parade ended, community attention turned to what

Indian cowboys do best, rodeo, as ropers and riders saddled up

In Sells, AZ By Lee Allen

Photo: Ron Gilson Photo


TRIBAL NEWS


for two days of competition for buckles and cash prizes in Ari-

zona’s longest-running all-Indian rodeo.

With three quarters of a century of rodeo action as a lead-in,

rodeo director Richard Saunders said, “Clearly the popularity

began long before our time. Because of our great spring weath-

er, this is the first stop for Indian rodeo contestants and kicks off

the start of the season.” Two hundred cowboys and cowgirls

from around the state, across the U.S., and Canada showed up

to kick up dust.

There was a Master Rodeo for the “seasoned” rodeo athletes

along with a Buckaroo Division of age 5 and under who cap-

tured the crowd by challenging each other in stick horse racing

and wooly riding. No age group was left out. The Pee Wee’s

(ages 6-9) rode calves and roped ribbons while more experi-

enced participants competed in the Junior (10-13) age group and

the Seniors (14-17). A special All-Indian Team Roping Event for

riders enrolled in the four O’odham sister tribes (Tohono, Ak-

Chin, Gila River, and Salt River – Maricopa).

The lure of a 100% payback (with $500 added for each event)

drew a horde of horseman with a will to win in bareback; steer

wrestling; team roping; saddle bronc; ladies barrel racing; ladies

breakaway; calf roping, and the ever-popular “most exciting 8

seconds in the world of sports,” bull riding.

If you had cowboy boots, a hat, and a can-do attitude, there

were plenty of opportunities to show your stuff. To get the tes-

tosterone flowing, 3-man teams partnered up for a Wild Horse

Race where unsaddled equines lunge out of the chutes and cow-

boys are supposed to corral them and ride them back to the

barn. In general, the feisty four-footed critters decided not to

cooperate and left several cowboys dusting themselves off and

walking out of the arena more slowly than they had entered.

Western dress code was a prerequisite to enter the arena and all

contestants complied, making it a colorful spectacle, even when

the jeans and checkered shirts were covered in a coat of ring

dust after riders went airborne and hit the dirt. 21-year-old Sho-

shane Kee, an Arizona Navajo cowboy, a 5-year veteran of chas-

ing rodeo purses has had his share of flying through the air in

Saddle Bronc competition. “I compete for cash as well as fun,”

he says. “I go from rodeo to rodeo trying to make a living and,

so far, it’s going great.”

Some of the older cowboys still enjoy the sport, but leave the

hard-riding to the younger generation. “I’ve ridden and roped

and wrestled since 1968, even ridden a couple of bulls,” says

Texas cowboy John South. “I’ve got a lot more sense than that

now, so I judge how well others do.” Fellow judge Roger Daho-

zy, a Fort Defiance Navajo, used to be a bulldogger (steer wres-

tler) in his younger days until he got hurt. “When I recovered

enough to ride a horse again, I decided judging would be a safer

rodeo event for me.”

New Mexico Navajo Hank Begay, a one-time saddle bronc rider,

smiled at that comment and added, “Getting older with more

brittle bones stopped me from competing. Now I let the young-

er generation take over.”

Tucson Tohono O’odham team roper Cindy Garcia bridges the

age gap at 48. Growing up in a ranching family on the northern

part of the Nation, she climbed on her first saddle at age three

and began satisfying her competitive streak. Then came a family

and arena roping disappeared. Now that the family is grown,

she has time to do whatever she wants to…and that’s be a heel-

er in women’s team roping events. “My competitive streak has

subsided and now I’m out there riding just for pleasure.”

The second day of arena activity began with a Cowboy Church

at the Rodeo Arena, followed by a final Grand Entry and the

concluding performances.

By late that evening, the crowds had long since departed, live-

stock and cowboys had been trailered and were headed down

the road to their next opportunity for adventure and coin, and

the organizers were already looking ahead with a “See you next

year” invitation. $

Photo: Lee Allen

Photo: Tom Harrison



TRIBAL NEWS

forests and is the tenth-

largest Indian reserva-

tion in land area in the

country.

"This recognition of

Chairman Rambler is

well deserved. The San

Carlos Apache Tribe has

been diligent in its

efforts to create econom-

ic opportunities for its

people and the surrounding communities through jobs, signifi-

cant contributions and neighborly goodwill. Chairman Rambler

is also highly respected by his colleagues who have elected him

to serve both as Chairman of the Arizona Indian Gaming Asso-

ciation (AIGA) and, at the same time, as President of the Inter

Tribal Council of Arizona.

Both of these organizations have greatly benefited from his vi-

sion, leadership and dedication," said Valerie Spicer, Executive

Director AIGA. The Arizona Indian Gaming Association has a

membership of 17 tribes representing more than 90% of the In-

dian people living on reservations in Arizona. $

he tribal leaders of the Arizona Indian Gaming Associa-

tion (AIGA) congratulate Terry Rambler, Chairman of

the San Carlos Apache Tribe and Chairman of the Ari-

zona Indian Gaming Association for being selected one of the 25

Most Influential Minority Business Leaders in Arizona. The

award is given by the AZ Business Magazine.

"I am deeply honored and accept this on behalf of the San Car-

los Apache Tribe and tribal leaders throughout this state who

are working hard to diversify their economies, improve educa-

tion and health opportunities and raise the quality of life for all

tribal people," said Rambler.

Terry Rambler was elected Chairman of the San Carlos Apache

Tribe in 2010, having served on the Tribal Council in 2004 and

2008. His administration is focused on programs and projects

that create good jobs and meet critical needs. On the federal

level he leads negotiations to settle water rights for his Tribe

and heads a national coalition to save sacred, public lands of

profound religious, cultural, and historic significance to the

Apache and other Indian people.

The San Carlos Apache Reservation, in east central Arizona,

spans more than 1.8 million acres of Sonoran desert to alpine

Chairman Terry Rambler Named Influential Arizona Minority Business Leader

T


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CASINO GOLF


alking Stick Golf Club opened in 1998 with

both the North and South courses designed

by the team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

The North course is a links style adventure through

grasslands and ingenious bunkering, while the South

course is a more traditional layout with its tree-lined

fairways, creative water hazards and smaller, sloped

greens.

The course is a 36-hole public facility managed by

Troon Golf with a full service pro shop, shower facili-

ties, rentals, and the Wildhorse Grille open for break-

fast and lunch.

Current course specials (valid through April 6) in-

clude the 36 Hole Special for $230 where players can

play two rounds for one low price. There is also the

$115 Arizona Resident Special for one round of golf

and the Pro V1 Special which includes one round of

golf and a dozen Pro V1 golf balls.

Since opening, the course has won many awards and

distinction, some of them several times over. The ac-

colades include being named one of the Top 100 Re-

sort Courses (Golfweek) for 2012 and 2013, Best Casino

Courses (Golfweek) for 2011 and 2012, Best Courses You

Can Play: State By State (Golfweek) for 2012 and 2013,

and ranked 14th in the Nation’s Top 40 Daily Fee

Courses (Golf & Travel), among others.

Located at 9998 East Indian Bend in Scottsdale, Arizo-

na just East of Talking Stick Resort, players can call

480.860.2221 or just visit talkingstickgolfclub.com for

more information about the course. $

T



LAUGHLIN, NEVADA Directory & Gaming Statistics

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

tropicanax.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!

River Palms Resort Casino

877.787.7256

river-palms.com

550+ slots, bingo, blackjack, table

games, craps, roulette, sports book.

Don’t miss the view of the river from

Denny’s!

Slots Hold % Tables Hold %

Loose $25 -5.88 Blackjack / 21 16.19

$5 3.55 Roulette 16.84

$1 4.55 Craps 18.71

25¢ 5.04 Other Table Games 24.75

Multi-Denom 5.21 Pai Gow Poker 27.43

Megabucks 5.65 Let It Ride 28.78

5¢ 6.92 Three Card Poker 32.78

Tight 1¢ 9.78

Other Hold % Win Amount Dollars

Loose Sports Pools 12.35 Slots 26.6 mil.

Race Books 16.82 Tables 2.8 mil.

Tight Live Keno 34.02 Other 0.6 mil.

Laughlin’s Gaming Statistics December 2013


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

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LAUGHLIN, NEVADA News

here’s a lot going on at Harrah's Laughlin with something

for everyone! Defending the Caveman returns to the Fiesta

Showroom March 29 through April 20. This is one comedy

show you don’t want to miss! On April 26, you’ll want to catch

Los Lobos & Los Lonely Boys. With tickets starting at $24 you’ll

be sure to have an evening of great entertainment from two

great performers for one low price! On June 14, funny man Jeff

Dunham arrives with his Disorderly Conduct Tour for a night

of laughs.

Harrah’s Laughlin is also hosting a big $20,000 Poker Tourna-

ment that is open to the public the weekend of March 14-16. The

winner receives a $10,000 WSOP seat or $8,000 in cash! The en-

try fee is $200 and room rates start at only $59 per night with the

buy-in!

Every Sunday in March through April 20, Harrah’s Laughlin

presents Wheel of Fortune Super Spin Sundays. Players have a

one in five chance of winning a prize including free slot play,

reward credits, dining credits, or a gift.

Did you know that Harrah's Laughlin is home to plenty of Top

Sizzling Slots? Not only did they recently install over 400 new

games, but they are also paying out over $9 million every

month! So, the next time you visit, if you are a fan of video pok-

er, make sure to play the IGT Multi-Denomination Triple Play/

Five Play/Ten Play machines in the High Limit room or the Video

Poker Area. These are among their top paying games. If you

prefer the slots, some of the hottest games on their floor are

Aristocrat’s Buffalo Stampede near the South Tower, Aristo-

crat’s Wonder 4 near the Beach Café, and Bally’s Quick Hits also

near the South Tower. Make sure you check out all of their hot

slots! $

Harrah’s Laughlin Presents: Entertainment, Promotions & Top Sizzling Slots

T


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News LAUGHLIN, NEVADA


ne of the most successful female recording artists in histo-

ry, Reba has sold over 56 million albums worldwide and

is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Hollywood

Bowl Hall of Fame. Reba's reign of #1 hits spans four decades

and Billboard, Country Aircheck and Mediabase recognized her

as the biggest female hitmaker in Country music history. She

earned her 64th Top 10 hit and her 35th #1 with Turn On The

Radio, from her most recent album, All The Women I

Am. Reba's run of sales successes has garnered her in the upper

echelon of #1 albums in the Country genre. She has also starred

in the eponymous sitcom Reba, which ran for 6 seasons on the

WBTV Network, and Malibu Country on ABC. On Saturday,

March 15 she performs at the Laughlin Event Center. Contact

your favorite Laughlin casino for tickets or event packages.

O

REBA, RASCAL FLATTS &

LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE Live At The Laughlin Event Center!

Fourteen-time nominated and five-time Latin Grammy Award

winners Los Tigres Del Norte will perform live in concert Satur-

day, May 3 in the all new Laughlin Event Center. Paquita la del

Barrio will open for Los Tigres. Los Tigres del Norte's Norteño

music with its polka roots is blended with stories of social injus-

tice and news. They have recorded more than 55 albums that

have earned Gold and Platinum Records in the United States

and Mexico and have sold more than 32 million records. The

San Jose, California based band tours internationally and has a

recording repertoire of over 500 songs and corridos (ballads).

Contact your favorite Laughlin casino for tickets or event pack-

ages. $

Rascal Flatts' hunger for excellence has borne fruit in every as-

pect of their phenomenal career. They have won more than 40

major awards, including seven ACM trophies for Vocal Group

of the Year and six trophies for CMA Vocal Group of the Year.

Recently they added a Grand Ole Opry membership, a star on

the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the prestigious Country Ra-

dio Seminar 2012 Artist Humanitarian Award to their list of

accomplishments. It's an amazing track record for a band not

much more than a decade in the public eye. In fact, the guys

look on this transition period as the perfect segue to the next

decade. They paid tribute to their new beginning with their

white-themed Flatts Fest Tour. On Saturday, April 12 they will

be performing live at the Laughlin Event Center. Contact your

favorite Laughlin casino for tickets or event packages.

Reba McEntire—March 15

Rascal Flatts—April 12

Los Tigres Del Norte—May 3


CASINO ENTERTAINMENT Listings


Apache Gold Casino—Globe, AZ—800.272.2438

Cabaret Lounge:

Featuring a variety of live bands every weekend

BlueWater Casino—Parker, AZ—888.243.3360

Dig Lounge:

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

BlueWater Showroom:

Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition—Now-Apr. 22

Kenny Rogers—Mar. 22

Casino Arizona—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777

The Showroom:

The Long Run Experience (The Eagles Tribute)—Mar. 7-8

Fortunate Son (CCR Tribute)—Mar. 21-22

L.A.Vation (U2 Tribute)—Mar. 28-29

The Arizona Room:

Jordan Benson with Heartlyn Rae (Country) - Mondays at 8pm

Latin Fire Dance Nights (Learn to dance)—Tuesdays at 6pm

Country Dance Nights (Learn to dance)—Wednesdays at 6pm

Marley Taylor Band (Cover band)—Sundays from 9pm to 1am

Casino Del Sol—Tucson, AZ—520.838.6506

Conference Center:

No events available at press time

Cliff Castle Casino—Camp Verde, AZ—800.381.7568

Dragonfly Lounge:

Featuring a variety of live bands, karaoke & DJs

Stargazer Pavillion:

Lowrider Style Bagger & Custom Motorcycle Show—Apr. 26

Cocopah Resort Casino—Somerton, AZ—800.237.5687

Events:

Karaoke with Bling Bling—We-Fr at 8pm

La Vida Loca (Latin Music)—Fr at 9pm

A variety of live music every Saturday night on the casino floor

Desert Diamond Casino I—Tucson, AZ—866.332.9467

Monsoon Nightclub:

Boots & Beers—Live country music every Friday night!

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

49 Laughs Native American Comedy Group—Apr. 19

Desert Diamond Casino II—Sahuarita, AZ—866.332.9467

Sports Bar:

Swinging Tuesdays—Tuesdays 1–4pm

Karaoke Night—Wednesdays 7-11pm

Classic Golden Oldies—Thursdays 1-4pm

Live music or DJs—Fridays & Saturdays

Diamond Center:

Ron “Tater Salad” White—Mar. 29

Doobie Brothers—Apr. 4

Rob Thomas—Apr. 12

Fort McDowell Casino—Fort McDowell, AZ—800.843.3678

Event Center:

Silver Car Auction—Mar. 14

Radisson Ballroom:

Little River Band—Mar. 15

Lucky 7 Saloon:

Featuring a variety of live music every weekend

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

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend: Bag Pipers—Mar. 15-17, Chuckwalla

Rhythm Kings—Mar. 17

The Lounge:

Smooth Groove—Mar. 7-8, Checker’d Past—Mar. 14-15, The

Walkens—Mar. 21, The Grass Roots—Mar. 22, DSB (Journey Trib-

ute)—Mar. 28-29

Wild Wednesdays Noon to 4pm: Swingtips—Mar. 5, Time and

Time Again—Mar. 12, Guy Pennacchio—Mar. 19, The Chauffeurs—

Mar. 26

Ladies Night on Monday nights (Live DJ-Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31)

Hon-Dah Casino—Pinetop, AZ—800.929.8744

Timbers Lounge and Showroom:

Munday Funday—Comedy Show begins at 7pm

Featuring a variety of live local talent Tuesday through Saturday

Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment's 30th Anniversary

Month festivities continue with a double dose of hilarity from

49 Laughs. The Native American comedy group will be per-

forming two live shows back to back in the Monsoon Night-

club on Saturday, April 19, 2014. Tickets start at $29.50 and are

on sale through Star Tickets and at the casino Rewards Center,

which offers a 10 percent discount on tickets to Diamond Re-

wards members. The 49 Laughs Comedy group features amaz-

ing and award-winning comedians including Adrianne Cha-

lepah, Tatanka Means, James Junes, Pax Harvey, and Ernest

Tsosie III. These five talented individuals have been excelling

in the entertainment industry for years performing on stage

and on movie screens. The comedy styles of each solo standup

comic are so unique and original that there is always some-

thing for everyone. Treena Parvello, Director of Public Rela-

tions and Communications for the Tohono O’odham Gaming

Enterprise, said “49 Laughs will tickle your funny bone with

their unique brand of comedy. Don't miss your chance to see

them live in the Monsoon Nightclub!”


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Talking Stick Resort Presents

JULIO IGLESIAS March 28, 2014

Latin superstar Julio Iglesias will perform in Talking

Stick Resort’s Salt River Grand Ballroom on March 28.

The experience will truly be unforgettable as the singer-

songwriter engages the crowd and plays a collection of

his greatest hits including All of You, When You Tell Me

That You Love Me, Nathalie and Abrázame. After a car acci-

dent left him severely injured at the age of 20, he turned

his focus to music, playing guitar and writing songs

during his recovery. The pastime soon turned into a

lucrative career as the Spanish icon would go on to sell

more than 300 million records worldwide, record songs

in 14 languages and distribute 80 albums. He has con-

tinuously proven himself as an innovator throughout

his musical journey, setting two World Guinness Rec-

ords for selling the most records in the most languages

and title for Best-Selling Latin Artist of all time. Tickets

for the shows are on sale now. Call 480.850.7777 and ask

for the box office or visit talkingstickresort.com.

Editor’s Pick CASINO ENTERTAINMENT


Lone Butte Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452

Cascades Lounge:

Phoenix area bands & DJs offer free live entertainment

We—Country, Th—Polka Party 12-3pm & 70’s Disco Funk 8pm-

midnight, Fr—Latin, Sa—Top 40/Dance

Verona Chophouse:

Talia Live— Saturdays 5-9pm

Sunday Jazz Brunch Live—10am-3pm

Mazatzal Casino—Payson, AZ—800.777.7529

Apache Spirits Lounge:

DJ Brent—Mar. 14-15

Bad Cactus Brass Band—Mar. 4

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:

Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends

Pipa Event Center:

Dwight Yoakam—Mar. 28

Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777

The Showroom & Grand Ballroom:

Phil Vassar—Mar. 7

Burt Bacharach—Mar. 8

California Transit Authority—Mar. 14

The Pink Floyd Experience—Mar. 15

Michael McDonald—Mar. 22

Julio Iglesias—Mar. 28

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino—Flagstaff, AZ—855.946.8946

Featuring a variety of local, regional & headlining acts. Call for info.

Vee Quiva Casino—Laveen, AZ—800.946.4452

VQ Live:

Featuring a variety of cover bands, local & regional acts. Call for info.

Event Center:

The New VQ Comedy Series—Mar. 7

Under a Blood Red Sky (U2 Tribute)—Mar. 14

The Piano Men (Elton John & Bill Joel Tribute)—Mar. 28

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:

Merle Haggard—Mar. 7

Ho’ Okena—Mar. 8

MC Hammer—Mar. 14

Kenny Rogers—Mar. 23

Yavapai Casino—Prescott, AZ—800.756.8744

Yavapai Cantina:

Karaoke with Cruisin’ Susan—Fr at 8pm-12am

Featuring a variety of live bands on Saturdays from 7 to 10pm 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.

http://www.talkingstickresort.com


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CASINO NIGHTLIFE

By Ramses Ja

ello, all! My name is Ramses Ja and I am a radio and tele-

vision personality here in Phoenix. I can be heard Monday

through Friday on 101.1FM The Beat from 3pm – 7pm and seen

Fridays at 10am on Channel 3. In the gaming industry, however,

I am most prominently known as a DJ.

That’s because for the past few years, I held a residency at De-

gree 270—Talking Stick Resort’s rooftop nightclub. Prior to that,

I enjoyed two year-long contracts as Fort McDowell’s resident

DJ for their Lunar Bingo sessions. I have also been fortunate

enough to DJ and host events at Casino Arizona, Cliff Castle

Casino, Wild Horse Pass, and even held a year-long residency at

Planet Hollywood on the Las Vegas strip. Needless to say, I

have a good idea of what casino culture is all about. Yes, they

are businesses…and yes, they exist to generate a profit. But

there is more to it than that. Casinos provide jobs, infrastruc-

ture, and fiscal resources to many native communities.

My issue was that I could never directly see the benefits provid-

ed by the casinos for which I worked. Despite the fact that my

maternal grandmother was full blooded Cherokee, I’d never

even visited a reservation until I began working at Fort McDow-

ell Casino. Additionally, for one reason or another, I could not

always directly participate in their charitable contributions. This

is when a conversation from my dear friend (current Degree 270

resident) DJ Q Ward piqued my interest. About 8 months ago,

he suggested that we invite our casino coworkers all of the peo-

ple who came to our clubs, our shows, partied with us, and fol-

lowed our social media outlets to participate in a charity event

of our own. After talking it out, we decided that we would feed

the homeless. We knew there to be disproportionate numbers of

Veterans, Native Americans, African Americans, and mentally

ill individuals who didn’t have the resources to feed themselves.

We wanted to be centrally based, so that all people could come

and contribute. Finally, we wanted it to be fun…like the clubs

we are known for rocking!

Enter Hashtag Lunch Bag. Sky Lounge in Downtown Phoenix

is the place we congregate on the last Sunday of each month.

The doors open at 10am, and we are proud to say that every

month since we started in September of last year, there is al-

ways a line of people waiting for us! It’s not only our casino

gaming industry coworkers who come out. There are church

H groups, youth clubs, businesses, radio and television personali-

ties, families, couples, individuals and everything in between!

The DJ (sometimes DJ Q Ward or I will spin, but we also invite

guest DJs from Power 98.3, 101.1 The Beat, and Live 101.5) sets

up and spins tunes as people dance, socialize, network, and of

course prepare lunches. Usually at around noon, we start load-

ing up vehicles and sending groups to various parts of town

where homeless people tend to congregate. Once there, we

simply invite those individuals who could use some extra food

to come up, grab a meal and enjoy the rest of their day. It is ab-

solutely the most rewarding experience you could imagine.

This project was primarily organized and funded by DJ Q

Ward, fashion models Nick Beam and Tajji Sharp, Frisko, my

station’s marketing director Mattlocks, and me for the first few

months. Since then, we have received several donations from

food banks, and monetary donations from participants of the

event. Our non-profit has granted us access to several other

opportunities as well. We are looking to incorporate shoes and

blankets into our charity because we get asked for those two

items the most.

Initially, we sought to promote our efforts online (hence the

name Hashtag Lunch Bag) but now, we enjoy promotional con-

sideration from several radio and television stations—English

and Spanish, and some noteworthy publications…including the

Arizona Gaming Guide. If you would like more information on

this event, please do not hesitate to contact us on Twitter or In-

stagram @RamsesJa or @IamQWard, by email at hastaglunch-

[email protected] or just pull us aside the next time you

see us in the casino…we’d love to hear from you! $

Ramses Ja Rudi King-Taylor II

•Music Director/On-Air Host (3-7pm) for

KNRJ-FM 101.1 The Beat

•Resident DJ/VJ for KTVK-3TV Friday 10am

•Host of R.E.D.Y. Set Radio

•Official Bum Squad DJ

•DJ Vatican Member

•For more information on Ramses Ja, visit his

website at: ramsesja.com.

Hashtag Lunch Bag


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HOT DEALS


ber 31, 2013. Renewals are September 1, 2013 through August 31, 2014.

In February, Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment also became the

first Arizona casino to honor America’s veterans and active-duty mili-

tary service members with a special Tribute Card providing discounts,

monthly free play, and annual free hotel stays. To qualify, guests must

present a valid military ID and their Diamond Rewards card at the casi-

no Rewards Center during signup. Tribute Card members will enjoy a

variety of benefits and special offers. $10 in Free Play will be automati-

cally loaded onto their cards on the 1st and 15th of each month, with the

initial offer available a minimum of 10 days following signup. Tribute

Card holders can also enjoy up to 12 complimentary hotel nights per

year, based on availability.

Finally, Tribute Card holders will enjoy a 10% discount at restaurants

and gift shops and a 50% discount on tickets for concerts and events.

More information on the Tribute Card is available at the Rewards Cen-

ter. Treena Parvello, Director of Public Relations and Communications

for the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said “Our new Tribute

Card is one way for all of us at Desert Diamond Casinos to give back to

those whose service defends the lives and freedom of all Americans. We

are proud to be the first Arizona casino to offer this special benefit to

veterans and service members!” For more info call 866.DDC.WINS or

visit ddcaz.com. $

n February, Desert Diamond Casinos introduced a tiered rewards

system for Diamond Rewards card members. The new system will

let guests earn reward points twice as fast, as well as giving them

access to new perks as they earn more points.

There are four tiers of Rewards Cards: Classic (0—999 points), Silver

(1,000—6,999 points), Gold (7,000—49,999 points), and Diamond

(50,000+ points). Each tier offers new perks, discounts and rewards to

their guests. One exciting new feature introduced with the new cards

are Reward Dollars, which are credits that can be used for payment at

any food & beverage venues, Casino Bars and Retail Shops. Reward

Dollars are earned based on play with a Rewards Card at Slot Machines

and Table Games. Guests who only play Keno, Bingo or Poker can visit

the Rewards Center to pick up a voucher based on the points they have

earned based on play, which can then be redeemed at any food & bever-

age venues, Casino Bars and Retail Shops. Reward Dollars can only be

redeemed for casino services and will expire after 13 months of inactivi-

ty.

Current Rewards Card holders who qualify for higher tiers can simply

visit their Rewards Center to receive their new tier Rewards card. Clas-

sic level guests can continue to play with their cards and earn rewards.

Free play will automatically transfer to the new tier Rewards cards. The

qualifying period for the tier levels was January 1, 2012 through Decem-

I

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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 200 No No No

BlueWater Mo-We 4:30pm. Su at 11:30am. 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 Th-Mo 1:30, 2, 6, 6:30 & 7pm 270 No 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 12:10am.

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 at 10am, Noon, 3:45,

5:30pm. Daily at Noon &

6:30pm.

750 Yes Yes B.A.D. Bingo 2 Fr at 11:30pm &

B.A.D. Bingo Sa at 11:30pm.

Mazatzal Mo-Th at Noon.

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

Paradise Daily at 11:30am & 1:30pm

Mo-Sa at 6pm. 300 Yes Yes

Call for Kozmic Bingo

& Other Special Dates

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

Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 02/01/14 & 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 BINGO DIRECTORY

This Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), the hall has a $500 Must go Spe-

cial for the 6pm session with free beads while they last. On Sat-

urday, March 8th the hall hosts a Mardi Gras-themed Kozmic

Bingo at 10pm. The costs are $10 Paper Buy-In, $17 Electronic,

and $27 for the Kozmic Special. Music is by $DJ MONEY$ and

make sure to come in your masks, feathers and beads to receive

a free extra book. If you bingo on the free book, you double the

payout! On Monday, March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) there is the

6pm session with a $25 paper Buy-In, $47/$77 Electronic Buy-In

and $300 payouts on main games, $500 specials, and $1,199 cov-

erall. For info, call 800.777.4946 or visit paradise-casinos.com. $

Luella Kaznak wins over $5,000 at Paradise Casino’s Bingo


http://www.fortmcdowellcasino.com


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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 50)

5 6

4 1

7 3

4 8

9

5

4

6

1

9 6

8 7

1 7

4

8

5

8 4

4

6

5 9

2

4

WORD SEARCH

In honor of the UN’s International Women’s Day on March 8th, find:

ACTIVIST, CONFIDENCE, CREATIVITY, EDUCATE, EMPOWER-

MENT, EQUALITY, FREEDOM, LIBERATION, MOVEMENT, OP-

PRESSION, PROGRESS, REFORM, RIGHTS, SELFESTEEM, SISTER-

HOOD, SOCIAL, STUGGLE, SUFFRAGE, VINDICATION, WOMEN.

Words appear in any direction. (Solution on page 50)

M S X K V I I A T I O N C N D

F U B Z S R G E A H R M L U G

R F Y T I V I A E R C T Q C T

E F O P R E I N V E P D O S S

E R K L U U D C A T E Q U D E

D A K O F Y L A U Q E P T T I

O G G C O N F I D E N C E B N

M E O C F X S K D V T E Q H M

S S E R G O G P H O S M Z R P

S M E E T S L S F S I E E E F

O T N E M R O M E Y V V P E W

C W O M E N I H T S I O G E R

I D O O H R S S C A T M I E T

A G N O I T E I L O C D B A R

L Q L H J M F R Z K A R E R O

FUN & GAMES



http://www.royalfaires.com/arizona/?UseMobile=False&utm_source=azgamingguide&utm_me

Do YOU have something to rant or rave about?

Write me at: [email protected]

SAMI’S SMACKDOWN


Don’t Forget The Tip At The Casino Cashier That Is...

oved your article in this month’s Arizona Gaming

Guide [January 2014]. I wanted to add to your tipped

list of people … the cage cashier … we are providing a

service along with the slot attendants etc. … a little

bit goes along way … I figure if I help 100 people a day and

each person dropped me a quarter I’d have $25 a day. Also, I

read the page about people winning the top prizes in Scratchers

… is it just me or does it seem all the top winners are coming

from northern Arizona rather than from southern Arizona?

Thanks!

Jason F.—Via E-mail

Jason, how right you are! The casino cage cashiers are definitely

worth tipping every time you make a transaction. Furthermore,

our staff has never had a bad experience interacting with cashier

staff at any of the many, many casinos we’ve visited. Everyone

L By Sami Becker

is always so friendly and has at least a few kinds words to say

when you are at the window. Thank you for what you do!

With respect to reading about winners of top prizes when play-

ing Scratchers. I think one has to consider Arizona’s population

distribution and the fact that the Arizona Lottery has two offic-

es, one in Phoenix and the other in Tucson. Guess which office

has the PR department in it? That’s right, the Phoenix office. As

a result, the Arizona Lottery may be skewing their own cover-

age of winners. In terms of population, we know 50% of Arizo-

na’s residents live in the Phoenix Metro Area. Therefore, most of

the Arizona Lottery’s Scratchers tickets will be sold in the Phoe-

nix area, practically guaranteeing more winners from Phoenix

than anywhere else! $


http://www.azgamingguide.com/counter/agg_counter_script.php?target=http://www.sportsxradio.com/


http://www.paradise-casinos.com/

CASINO DIRECTORY


City Phone Slots Hig

h L

imit

Are

a

Bin

go

Casino Liv

e K

eno

Tab

le G

ames

Po

ker

Ro

om

Ho

tel

Sm

ok

e-F

ree

Are

a

Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 02/01/14 & 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

a

Arc

ade

01. Apache Gold Casino Resort Hwy. 70, 5 mi. E. of Globe Globe 800-272-2438 619 Y Y Y Y Y Y

02. BlueWater Resort & Casino 11300 Resort Drive Parker 888-243-3360 523 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

03. Bucky’s Casino 1500 E. Hwy. 69 Prescott 800-756-8744 309 Y Y Y

04. Casino Arizona 101 & McKellips Scottsdale 480-850-7777 911 Y Y Y Y

05. Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd. Tucson 855-765-7829 1,085 Y Y Y Y Y Y

06. Casino of the Sun 7406 S. Camino De Oeste Tucson 855-765-7829 294

07. Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel I-17, Exit 289 Camp Verde 800-381-7568 656 Y Y Y Y Y

08. Cocopah Resort Casino 15318 S. Ave. B Somerton 800-237-5687 513 Y 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

10. Desert Diamond Casino II I-19, Exit 80 Tucson 866-332-9467 688 Y

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

12. Fort McDowell Casino Hwy. 87 & Ft. McDowell Rd. Fort McDowell 800-843-3678 891 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 838 Y Y Y Y

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

16. Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Hwy. 87, 1/4 mi. S. of Payson Payson 800-777-7529 425 Y Y Y Y Y Y

17. Paradise Casino 450 Quechan Dr. Yuma 888-777-4946 506 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 752 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

21. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino I-40, Exit 219 Flagstaff 855-946-8946 1,089 Y Y Y Y Y

22. Vee Quiva Casino 6443 Komatke Ln. Laveen 800-946-4452 950 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 244 Y

azgamingguide.com facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide

For information on the casinos & much more,

scan our QR codes with your smartphone!

Sudoku Solution

5 8 6

9 7 2

4 1 3

7 3 1

4 8 6

2 5 9

2 9 4

3 1 5

7 6 8

2 4 8

3 6 9

1 5 7

9 6 5

8 1 7

3 4 2

1 3 7

4 5 2

9 8 6

6 3 5

8 9 4

7 2 1

1 7 4

6 2 3

5 9 8

8 2 9

5 7 1

6 4 3

Word Search Solution

S V I I C A T I O N N D

F U S R G L E U G

R F Y T I V I A E R C T

E F O P R E I O N S S

E R D U C A T E E

D A Y L A U Q E T T I

O G C O N F I D E N C E N

M E T E

S S E R G O S M R P

S M E E T S L E S I E E F

O T N E M R O P M E V V E W

C W O M E N I G H T S I O R

I D O O H R S I S T M E T

A N O I T E B I L C A R

L M F E R A R O


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arizona gaming guide magazine - march 2014 - 06:03

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