Slot Machine Bingo
If you’re playing slots in an Native American Casino there’s a good chance that you’re playing on a Class II bingo machine. It looks like a real slot machine and you play it like a real slot machine but it’s really a sophisticated electronic bingo device. Somewhere on the screen you will even see your bingo card and in many cases you can change the card when you feel like it.
Slot Machine Bingo App
The most important ones are: Balance: Shows your current balance. You can play Bingo free slot with a complimentary balance of 500 coins. Auto play: It supports automatic spins of the reels, up to 1.000 spins. Coins / Lines: You can adjust the bet and the number of pay lines from here.
Let’s take a closer look at Class II slots and see how they are different from the slot machines you’d play in a Las Vegas casino.
Bingo Slot Machines Explained
The two slots machines operate differently. The Class II slot machines are common in slots parlors. They are attached to Native American Casinos or horse racing tracks. Owing to improved tech tools, Class II slot machines have become more sophisticated. So much so that casual punters have a hard time telling them apart from Class III slot machines. The free online Bingo Billions slot machine has three types of symbols: Regulars – Represented as money piles, bingo sheet, gold bars, and balls. Wild – Has a TV presenter as an icon. Scatter – triggers the Extra Spins. Also known as bingo-based slots or bingo slot machines, Class 2 machines are created to replicate Class 3 slot machines in accordance with the regulatory guidelines. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) is issued by the Federal Government and clearly defines all machines, including class 1, class 2 and class 3 games. Slot Machine — May 29 Bingo is a diverse game that has evolved into many forms over the years. In this manner, the game of bingo remains fresh and exciting for players. There are numerous variations in the type of bingo games offered as well as the patterns required for a winning bingo card.
A Little History
It was 1988 when the United States enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), establishing the basic structure that was designed to govern Native American gaming laws. The act established 3 classes of gaming:
Class I: traditional and social games for minimal prizes
Class II: games of chance based off the game of bingo
Class III: a catch-all category of games that can’t be considered Class I or II, like slots, roulette, blackjack, etc.
Knowing the hurdles Native American casinos faced to allow Class III slots, gaming companies began developing Class II gaming machines: games that play like regular slots but are technically fancy versions of bingo.
Differences between Class II Games and Regular Slots
Standard (class III) slots incorporate random number generators (RNG) that produce many thousands of random numbers every second. When you spin the reels, the RNG immediately locks in the value at that very moment. Then the slot assigns reel positions to parts of the random number and evaluates your win (if there is one). There’s a little more to the process but that’s the basic idea.
To be legally considered a class II slot machine, the outcome had to be based on the game of bingo. Software developers had to get creative to make class II games that would technically and legally comply with the law. Different approaches were often taken. On some, like WMS and Multimedia Games, your machine’s “bingo card” remains constant and the drawn numbers change each time. On others (like VGT), you stay in the same game while your card randomly changes each spin.
How the game in implemented doesn’t particularly matter. What matters is that the game has the necessary elements required to be bingo: more than 1 player (class II slots must be networked together) and a set of numbers drawn that must match a pattern to result in a win that ends the game (a game-ending pattern).
The fact is Class II slots still rely on RNG to generate the cards and drawn numbers. It doesn’t matter if the RNG is creating simulated bingo cards/numbers on a class II game or virtual reel positions on a class III slot – the results are still random. Payouts are determined on regular slots by adjusting the reels and likelihood of landing on any position. Payouts on class II slots are defined by specifying the bingo patterns that must be matched and within what number of numbers drawn.
Why Native American Casinos Prefer Class II
While many modern Native American casinos have a mix of class II and III games, they usually have a preference toward class II games. And if you notice the mix of slots, the numbers almost always skew heavily towards class II games. Why?
The IGRA granted tribes the power to self-regulate Class II gaming. Whereas tribes have to enter state compacts to offer class III games.
Another reason Native American casinos prefer class II games is that tribes don’t owe taxes on class II revenue like they do on class III games.
Licensed slots and most of the fancy new, popular games aren’t available in class II form, so Native American casinos keep a mix. Although many of the newer popular slots are being adapted to class II by IGT and others.
The Bottom Line on Class II Games
Modern class II games can look, act, sound, and feel like typical class III, Vegas-style slots.
Class II games are sometimes criticized for their mysterious nature, leading some to believe they can be rigged. They’re networked together as a central server is essentially determining the wins.
Class III slots go through rigorous third-party and government testing to ensure their randomness and resistance to rigging. Class II slots go through some of the same tests, but the self-regulating nature and lack of transparency of Native American casinos have historically raised questions about their fairness.
Though their back-end operates differently, both class II and class III games still ultimately rely on RNG. Casinos don’t shouldn’t need to rig the machines because the games’ math is already in their favor. That’s not to say their games’ programmed payout percentage is going to be to your liking, but the notion of some casino worker selectively selecting who’s going to win and lose on class II games doesn’t make sense.
Slots has been a thing for eons. Over the decades, it has simply evolved and changed in form. But at its core, the gambling basics have remained unchanged. In the past decade or two, the industry has experienced many ‘tech upgrades’ that have increased the number of punters in the world. Today, you don’t have to take a trip down to Las Vegas. All you need is a steady internet connection an online casino you trust and you are set.Speaking of casinos, (land-based or online), there are two types of slot machines they feature; Class III and Class II. The two slots machines operate differently. The Class II slot machines are common in slots parlors. They are attached to Native American Casinos or horse racing tracks. Owing to improved tech tools, Class II slot machines have become more sophisticated. So much so that casual punters have a hard time telling them apart from Class III slot machines.
But you are in luck. In this piece, we shall scrape off the confusion by explaining the basics and answering some common questions related to Class II slot machines.
So, let’s get to it.
What Exactly Are Class II Slot Machines?
It’s simple. The Class II slot machines are designed to replicate Class III slot machines while remaining within the confines of the regulatory guidelines. The Class system is clearly stated and defined in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act by the Federal Government. The Act defines all Class II games as bingo regardless of whether computer, electronic or any other tech gadgets are used with it and if it is played in the same room with bingo or any games similar to bingo.
The immediate consequence of this regulatory Act was that the high stake bingo games were legalized. Yes, the bingo games held in halls were super popular at some point. But with time, as developers sought to upgrade their gaming experience, they leaned towards a casino-like environment and experience. Though they managed to incorporate Class III casinos in some of their gaming options, they were met with a lot of resistance and legal issues.
It was during this time that Class II slot machines were designed. Since their inception, key players in the industry have been working around the clock to replicate Class III machine experience in Class II jurisdictions. Engineers have been contracted to build in-house systems while slot manufacturers were brought on board to create games that would run on the designed systems
How do they Work?
It’s true, aside from the LED bingo card which displays your card patterns for every spin; it’s really hard to differentiate the Class II from the Class III. The big part of the difference lies in how the game operates. So let’s peep under the hood and see how Class II slots machines are designed to meet legal requirements of being a bingo game.
First, there is usually a 20-millisecond window. Any person that presses the ‘Play’ button during this window enters into a common draw. For this draw to run there needs to be a minimum of two players (there is no maximum number). If there are only two players, one of them will get the winning pattern.
So here’s what happens when a video or slot poker is brought into the picture. Designers extrapolate odds of specific bingo games to video or slot games’ results that have similar odds. Usually, there are extra algorithmic processes that are in play which help to determine the outcomes but usually, the end results are similar – you pull the machine handle and the reels spin.
From the moment you pull the handle to the millisecond before they stop, you become one of the participants in a multiplayer bingo game. The results of the bingo game are ‘reported’ by the reels when they halt. If you are lucky, you’ll win some cash. So now if you think about it, you’ll have had a Las Vegas slot machine experience while in the background, the machine meets all the requirements which make it legal in Class II slot machine jurisdictions – areas where bingo is legal but RNG machines are not.
Now, most casinos that run the Class II slot machines claim that their odds are similar to those of Class III machines. This is how they explain it – it’s more like a scratch-off lottery card. But instead of scratching you’ll be pulling a handle.
And though this analogy is close to the real thing, it’s not quite accurate.
What do Class II Slots Look Like?
While they look extremely similar to Class III machines, the main way in determining if it is a Class II machine is to look on the display for a bingo table. It will look quite obvious and will indicate that the machine is using bingo logic rather than the typical RNG of a Class III machine.
Here’s an example below – notice that there is a bingo table located at the bottom right of the display.
Should You Play Class II Slot Games?
This is a really good question. And believe it or not, it’s pretty common. But despite this, its answer is not straight forward. But here’s something that will help you make that decision.
Gambling experts insist that Class II games are similar to lottery scratch tickets than Class II machines. You see, with lottery scratch tickets, the prize is determined before the printing of the tickets. Class II games may have shorter realization times but unfortunately, they aren’t random. The moment you pull the slot handle, the outcome of whether you have won or not and what prize you have won has already been made. The reels are only there to deliver the news.
Why do Casinos Prefer Class II Slot Machines?
Why is it that modern casinos seem to have a mix of Class II and Class III slot machines and games? And why is it that even with the mix, they are skewed towards class II games?
Well, first, the IGRA granted casinos self-regulating powers when it came to Class II games. However, with Class III games, they must be officially undergo rigorous testing through third parties and approved goverment organizations. This is to ensure that the randomness and reliability of the machine is deemed fair.
Second, casinos don’t have to pay taxes on the revenues generated from the Class II games. But on the Class III games, they are obligated to pay taxes.
Thirdly, the odds on winning in a Class II game are worse because you are put against a large pool of players to win instead of relying on RNG.
Slot Machine Bingo Patterns
There you have it. Everything you need to make an informed decision. Hopefully, after reading this Class II and Class III slot machines don’t confuse you anymore. So with that go have a ‘happily ever after’ gambling experience.