New Jersey Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Portable Gaming Devices
Wrestling with one armed bandits on the gaming floor or lazing on the pool deck during your visit to Atlantic City? Soon, you may not have to choose!
The New Jersey Senate’s Wagering, Tourism and Historical Preservation Committee is currently examining a new casino technology: hand- held devices that allow the gaming to go on even after the player leaves the casino floor. Testimony, both pro and con, will be heard today by the Senate Committee. Testifiers are to include representatives from the Borgata and Harrah’s Casinos, industry analysts, and state gaming regulators.
"We are having the hearing to shed some light on new electronic gaming technology," said Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), the committee chairwoman. "We want to flesh out related public policy and regulatory issues. The casinos are very excited about introducing new technology."
The wireless devices in question are the size of hand- held video games, and would serve as the portable version of almost all of the stationary games offered at a casino. The use of the devices in all parts of a casino, however, will require a change in current casino regulations; at the present time, gambling is only allowed on the casino floor, where security cameras monitor each gambler’s every move.
Sen. Buono said that the existence of a hearing does not mean that the technology will be permitted, necessarily. She said that some of the smaller casinos, for which the technology will be prohibitively costly, are opposed to its legalization.
"I understand there is not a consensus among all the casinos," she said. "If it were to come to pass, casinos would have to make a significant investment and some of the less profitable casinos may not support it."
The Senator noted, however, that she had been told by gambling operators that the legalization of the device could mean up to $19 billion for casinos nationally by 2009.
Not everyone, however, is enthusiastic about the new devices. Problem gambling experts, such as Ed Looney, executive director for the Council on Compulsive Gambling for New Jersey, ask why the government is so eager to help the casinos out, at the risk of creating more social problems.
"I'm not saying that they're shills for the casinos, but there's a morality about this. They're pushing more types of gambling on our people for the benefit of the casinos. It's (the gambling operators’) job to do that, not the legislators. We saw that with sports betting too."
This type of mobile casino technology has already been approved by the Nevada state legislature. In Las Vegas and Reno, casino patrons will soon be able to play their favorite games almost anywhere on casino property, such as at the swimming pools or in bars and restaurants. They will not, however, be permitted in hotel rooms.
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New Jersey Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Portable Gaming Devices
Wrestling with one armed bandits on the gaming floor or lazing on the pool deck during your visit to Atlantic City? Soon, you may not have to choose!
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