MS Gaming Control Act (Gaming Device Definition)

Hello to anyone who may see this. I am looking for some peoples interpretations of a definition of a gaming device that is listed on the MS Gaming Control Act. Below is a direct quote from the MS Gaming Control Act. Any information and interpretations are much appreciated.


(m) “Gaming device” means any mechanical, electromechanical or electronic contrivance, component or machine used in connection with gaming or any game which affects the result of a wager by determining win or loss. The term includes a system for processing information which can alter the normal criteria of random selection, which affects the operation of any game, or which determines the outcome of a game. The term does not include a system or device which affects a game solely by stopping its operation so that the outcome remains undetermined, and does not include any antique coin machine as defined in Section 27-27-12.


I am mainly interested in peoples' opinions on the 2nd part of the definition. The altering of normal criteria of random selection.

thanks guys.

IANALBIALOOTI (I Am Not A Lawyer But I Act Like One On The Internet), and I'm pretty sure there are people here with ears much closer to the ground than mine when it comes to such matters, but it sounds like it could be either or both of two things:
1. "Class II" machines, where, technically, you are playing against other players;
2. A "Must Hit By" progressive jackpot.

Quote: ThatDonGuy

IANALBIALOOTI (I Am Not A Lawyer But I Act Like One On The Internet), and I'm pretty sure there are people here with ears much closer to the ground than mine when it comes to such matters, but it sounds like it could be either or both of two things:
1. "Class II" machines, where, technically, you are playing against other players;
2. A "Must Hit By" progressive jackpot.

The way I interpret this, is that the casino retains the right to rig games?

Quote: GeoDawg

The way I interpret this, is that the casino retains the right to rig games?

Except that the Mississippi Gaming Regulations say that they can't rig them.

Quote: ThatDonGuy

Except that the Mississippi Gaming Regulations say that they can't rig them.

Can you site where it says that specifically? What does alter the normal criteria of random selection mean then?

Quote: GeoDawg

Can you site where it says that specifically? What does alter the normal criteria of random selection mean then?

Here is the general prohibition:

Quote:

§75-76-307. Cheating prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person, whether he is an owner or employee of or a player in an establishment, to cheat at any gambling game.

Also:

Quote:

§ 75-76-309. Manufacture, sale or distribution of gaming materials intended for illegal use prohibited; altering equipment prohibited; instructing others in cheating prohibited.
(1) It is unlawful to manufacture, sell or distribute any cards, chips, dice, game or device that is intended to be used to violate any provision of this chapter.
(2) It is unlawful to mark, alter or otherwise modify any associated equipment or gaming device in a manner that:
(a) Affects the result of a wager by determining win or loss; or
(b) Alters the normal criteria of random selection, which affects the operation of a game or which determines the outcome of a game.
(3) It is unlawful for any person to instruct another in cheating or in the use of any device for that purpose, with the knowledge or intent that the information or use so conveyed may be employed to violate any provision of this chapter.

I believe that MS used NV (as they existed circa 1980's) as the basis for their gambling regs, but kinda screwed things up in translation. For example compare NV's definition below with that of MS above.

Quote:

NRS 463.0155  “Gaming device” defined.  “Gaming device” means any object used remotely or directly in connection with gaming or any game which affects the result of a wager by determining win or loss and which does not otherwise constitute associated equipment. The term includes, without limitation:

1.  A slot machine.

2.  Mobile gaming.

3.  A collection of two or more of the following components:

(a) An assembled electronic circuit which cannot be reasonably demonstrated to have any use other than in a slot machine;

(b) A cabinet with electrical wiring and provisions for mounting a coin, token or currency acceptor and provisions for mounting a dispenser of coins, tokens or anything of value;

(c) An assembled mechanical or electromechanical display unit intended for use in gambling; or

(d) An assembled mechanical or electromechanical unit which cannot be demonstrated to have any use other than in a slot machine.

4.  Any object which may be connected to or used with a slot machine to alter the normal criteria of random selection or affect the outcome of a game.

5.  A system for the accounting or management of any game in which the result of the wager is determined electronically by using any combination of hardware or software for computers.

6.  A control program.

7.  Any combination of one of the components set forth in paragraphs (a) to (d), inclusive, of subsection 3 and any other component which the Commission determines by regulation to be a machine used directly or remotely in connection with gaming or any game which affects the results of a wager by determining a win or loss.

8.  Any object that has been determined to be a gaming device pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission.

9.  As used in this section:

(a) “Control program” means any software, source language or executable code which affects the result of a wager by determining win or loss as determined pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission.

(b) “Mobile gaming” means the conduct of gambling games through communications devices operated solely in an establishment which holds a nonrestricted gaming license and which operates at least 100 slot machines and at least one other game by the use of communications technology that allows a person to transmit information to a computer to assist in the placing of a bet or wager and corresponding information related to the display of the game, game outcomes or other similar information. For the purposes of this paragraph, “communications technology” means any method used and the components employed by an establishment to facilitate the transmission of information, including, without limitation, transmission and reception by systems based on wireless network, wireless fidelity, wire, cable, radio, microwave, light, optics or computer data networks. The term does not include the Internet.

But see NRS from 1981:

Quote:

463.0112  “Gaming device” means any mechanical, electromechanical or electronic contrivance, component or machine used in connection with gaming or any game [.] which affects the result of a wager by determining win or loss. The term includes a system for processing information which can alter the normal criteria of random selection, which affects the operation of any game or which determines the outcome of a game. The term does not include a system or device which affects a game solely by stopping its operation so that the outcome remains undetermined.

Which tracks the MS pretty closely.

So I think they are trying to define those items that you can't modify OR POSSESS without falling under the gambling regulations. Changing the probabilities from what was originally encoded in the device is altering alter the normal criteria of random selection. The information processing clause might be an attempt to restrict timing devices, such that a person couldn't use the periodic nature of crappy PRNGs (like some early video poker machines had) to score payoffs with more frequency than the RNG should allow.

Alternatively, the information processing clause could actually be there to prevent casinos from tracking the payouts of the machine and adjusting the probabilities on the fly in response to wins/losses.

This is all just speculation on my part; one would need to review the relevant regulations and cases in more depth and see just how the statutes are interpreted.

Quote: GeoDawg

Can you site where it says that specifically? What does alter the normal criteria of random selection mean then?

Mississippi Gaming Commission Regulations, Title 3, Rule 12.5c:

Quote:

All gaming devices submitted for approval...(c) Must use a random selection process to determine the game outcome of each play of a game. The random selection process must meet 95 percent confidence limits using a standard chi-squared test for goodness of fit.
1. Each possible permutation or combination of game elements which produce winning or losing game outcomes must be available for random selection at the initiation of each play.
2. For gaming devices that are representative of live gambling games, the mathematical probability of a symbol or other element appearing in a game outcome must be equal to the mathematical probability of that symbol or element occurring in the live gambling game. “Equal to” shall mean within the thousandths of a percent – i.e., .001% to .009%. For other gaming devices, the mathematical probability of a symbol appearing in a position in any game outcome must be constant.
3. The selection process must not produce detectable patterns of game elements or detectable dependency upon any previous game outcome, the amount wagered, or upon the style or method of play.

Now here's a strange one - Rule 12.5b:

Quote:

All gaming devices submitted for approval...(b) Must theoretically pay out a mathematically demonstrable percentage of all amounts wagered, which must not be less than eighty percent (80%) or greater than one hundred percent (100%) for each wager available for play on the device. Gaming devices that may be affected by player skill must meet this standard when using a method of play that will provide the greatest return to the player over a period of continuous play.

The way I read this, machines with an ER of greater than 100% are not allowed.

Quote: LoquaciousMoFW

Here is the general prohibition:

Also:


I believe that MS used NV (as they existed circa 1980's) as the basis for their gambling regs, but kinda screwed things up in translation. For example compare NV's definition below with that of MS above.



But see NRS from 1981:

Quote:

463.0112  “Gaming device” means any mechanical, electromechanical or electronic contrivance, component or machine used in connection with gaming or any game [.] which affects the result of a wager by determining win or loss. The term includes a system for processing information which can alter the normal criteria of random selection, which affects the operation of any game or which determines the outcome of a game. The term does not include a system or device which affects a game solely by stopping its operation so that the outcome remains undetermined.

Which tracks the MS pretty closely.

So I think they are trying to define those items that you can't modify OR POSSESS without falling under the gambling regulations. Changing the probabilities from what was originally encoded in the device is altering alter the normal criteria of random selection. The information processing clause might be an attempt to restrict timing devices, such that a person couldn't use the periodic nature of crappy PRNGs (like some early video poker machines had) to score payoffs with more frequency than the RNG should allow.

Alternatively, the information processing clause could actually be there to prevent casinos from tracking the payouts of the machine and adjusting the probabilities on the fly in response to wins/losses.

This is all just speculation on my part; one would need to review the relevant regulations and cases in more depth and see just how the statutes are interpreted.

The reason I bring this up is because I have been told by a few people in the gaming industry in Biloxi and New orleans that their Roulette table games (which I am assuming classify as a gaming device) have an ability to be manipulated through wheel speed control systems. I have played in these casinos myself many times, and to me; and others I have witnessed it with, the wheels can be seen changing speed after the wheel is spinning and even after the ball has dropped. Keep in mind I am talking about the normal roulette table game, not the automated air roulette machines that can be found. I was told by a casino pit boss that having wheel speed control on their roulette games was completely legal, so I went searching in the MS gaming control act as well as the various regulations to find evidence to support this claim.

This is why I posted the gaming device definition above, to see if you guys could give insight to whether that definition could be applied to a system such as a roulette table game that operates with RFID roulette chips, RFID sensed betting surface, and a fully integrated system for processing information that (knows where the areas of high betting activity are and could potentially avoid them) by either pulsing the wheel or braking the wheel, which would cause the ball to fall in another area thus alter the criteria of normal selection and determining the outcome of the game?

Quote: ThatDonGuy

The way I read this, machines with an ER of greater than 100% are not allowed.

That is true in many jurisdictions.

Quote: DRich

That is true in many jurisdictions.

Yeah off the top of my head...

IA, IL, IN, MI, WI, PA, MS, LA, MD, CO are capped at 100% return. There are probably a couple more I'm missing.

MN is capped at 98%.

Quote: tringlomane

Yeah off the top of my head...

IA, IL, IN, MI, WI, PA, MS, LA, MD, CO are capped at 100% return. There are probably a couple more I'm missing.

MN is capped at 98%.

So no 3:2 blackjack or craps in MN?

Quote: unJon

So no 3:2 blackjack or craps in MN?

That is probably just for gaming devices. I have played lots of BJ in Minnesota.

Quote: GeoDawg

The reason I bring this up is because I have been told by a few people in the gaming industry in Biloxi and New orleans that their Roulette table games (which I am assuming classify as a gaming device) have an ability to be manipulated through wheel speed control systems. I have played in these casinos myself many times, and to me; and others I have witnessed it with, the wheels can be seen changing speed after the wheel is spinning and even after the ball has dropped. Keep in mind I am talking about the normal roulette table game, not the automated air roulette machines that can be found. I was told by a casino pit boss that having wheel speed control on their roulette games was completely legal, so I went searching in the MS gaming control act as well as the various regulations to find evidence to support this claim.

This is why I posted the gaming device definition above, to see if you guys could give insight to whether that definition could be applied to a system such as a roulette table game that operates with RFID roulette chips, RFID sensed betting surface, and a fully integrated system for processing information that (knows where the areas of high betting activity are and could potentially avoid them) by either pulsing the wheel or braking the wheel, which would cause the ball to fall in another area thus alter the criteria of normal selection and determining the outcome of the game?

I am pretty sure a "gaming device" refers to a slot / VP / keno / blackjack / Sic Bo / miscellaneous game machine.

This covers roulette wheels (emphasis added):

Quote: Mississippi Gaming Regulations, Part 5, Rule 1.1j

"Game" or "gambling game" means any banking or percentage game played with cards, with dice or with any mechanical, electromechanical or electronic device or machine for money, property, checks, credit or any representative of value, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, faro, monte, roulette, keno, fan-tan, twenty-one, blackjack, seven-and-a-half, big injun, klondike, craps, poker, chuck-a-luck (dai shu), wheel of fortune, chemin de fer, baccarat, pai gow, beat the banker, paguingui, slot machine, or any other game or device approved by the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

I cannot find anything in the regulations or the Gaming Control Act that says that a roulette wheel's speed cannot be controlled, but I did find this:

Quote: Mississippi Gaming Control Act, section 307

It is unlawful for any person, whether he is an owner or employee of or a player in an establishment, to cheat at any gambling game.

Also, :

Quote: Mississippi Gaming Regulations, Part 5, Rule 1.2

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following acts or omissions may be determined to be unsuitable methods of operation:
(j) Failure to conduct gaming operations in accordance with proper standards of custom, decorum and decency, or permit any type of conduct in the gaming establishment which reflects or tends to reflect on the repute of the State of Mississippi and act as a detriment to the gaming industry.

What about blue tooth ear buds. Legal or not?

Quote: unJon

So no 3:2 blackjack or craps in MN?

My bad. As DRich said, that's just the policy for MN machines.

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Check this out Don^