New California Slots Already Running at Indian Casinos

California has had to wait long enough for the legal challenges by competitors and special interests to be resolved.

Now that the amended compacts in California have been approved by voters, the four tribes allowed new slot machines are wasting no time in getting their expanded casinos up and running. The Morongo casino has 400 new slots already working, and the Pechanga casino expects to have 400 ready to go in the next couple days.

The Agua Caliente casino will have more than 300 added slots by the end of February. Another 500 machines will be working by the end of April.

The first payments to the state are due by June 30th, in the amount of more than $40 million. This revenue is based on the existing machines, and does not include new incomes. Before Governor Schwarzenegger brokered the new deal, the state was receiving no money on the old slots.

The tribes and Shwarzenegger claim that California's share through 2030 will run as high as $9 billion; critics have claimed the amount paid might be as "low" as $3.4 billion.

Obviously, the sooner the machines are installed and available to players, the quicker money is earned for the state, as well as the tribes.

Jose Morales, a gambler at the Morongo casino, stated, "I can't wait to play the new machines. They are going to be the loosest around, just to get good publicity if nothing else."

The Sycuan tribe also has new slots coming, but the timetable hasn;t been set.

California has had to wait long enough for the legal challenges by competitors and special interests to be resolved. It is certainly about time these machines, and the existing ones as well, paid off for the people of the state. Kudos to the tribes for acting promptly.