Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

[jj & cindy]

On our last visit to Fantasy Springs, a casino that we have been visiting for many, many years, they were caught tampering with a video poker machine. It is our understanding that a complaint has been filed with the California Gaming Commission and the State Attorney General’s office….more to come…

[Mike 2]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

Never been to Fantasy Springs, but I do get to the California desert area sometimes. Will be interested in your “more to come…”

[Mike 2]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

Any new developments?

[jj & cindy]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

So far, our neighbors haven’t heard anything, however, they did receive a pretty good invitation from Fantasy Springs - - -of course, they will not be going. It’s obvious, if this casino was located in Nevada, their machines would already have been hauled off the casino floor and locked in the basement. We guess in California- - -not so much.

[jj & cindy]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

A little update - - -it is our understanding that the violation may fall under the California Gambling Control Act, Chapter 10 Sections 332b, 334a and 337u.g. which talks about a casino altering the normal function of a gaming device to gain an edge over the player which is considered “cheating” or “fraudulent.”

[psimmons]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

My brother told me he was at Fantasy Springs yesterday and saw them removing video poker machines. Not sure what this means- - -

[DougB]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

The machines were removed for repairs and are already back on the floor.

[Mike 2]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

I read a review of Fantasy Springs Casino on Yelp - - -I assume this is the same incident with a little more detail. Have you posted this anywhere else and you might consider posting all the details here?

[jj & cindy]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

Yes, we posted this information on Yelp and after two weeks, it has been removed. Fantasy Springs management claims it was hearsay. A new review was written by our neighbors and we’ll see what they can come up with so they can remove that one. Our neighbors have also tried to get this incident posted on TripAdvisor but so far, they will not post it and will not communicate with them. American Casino Guide should be commended for allowing the truth to be told. Here is the information about the incident. . .the machine that was tampered with was a Video Poker machine. Unlike a regular slot machine, a Video Poker machine has an audio alert when a player is dealt a winning hand. This is built into the machine by the manufacturer, in this case, IGT. The manufacturer gives the owner of a Video Poker machine the ability to turn the sound down or up, but not off. That is not an option for a Video Poker machine because of the audible winning hand feature. The Video Poker machine in question had its speaker leads disconnected, not turned down, as management at Fantasy Springs is now claiming. If a casino alters the normal function of a gaming device to gain an edge over the player, it is considered “cheating” or “fraudulent“ gaming (California Gambling Control Act, Chapter 10 Sections 332b, 334a and 337u.g.) and that is why the California Gaming Commission referred this complaint to the CA State Attorney General‘s Office. By deliberately eliminating the sound on a Video Poker Machine, Fantasy Springs Casino gains an edge. Just because the establishment got caught tampering with this machine and eventually hooked the speakers back up, does not change the fact that they were cheating customers and are probably still cheating customers by telling them that the “Video Poker machines are old and have no sound and they will not fix them.” That is why this type of review of an establishment is so important for the public.

[Mike 2]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

Thanks for posting the additional info - shame on Yelp and shame on Tripadvisor. ACG is da' best!

[SteveBourieOLD]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

I play a lot of video poker, and to be honest with you, I am sure I have played on a lot of machines where the sound doesn't work. I don't know if it was ever done purposely or not.

However, it was never a big deal to me and I just kept playing. I have also played on video poker machines where the sound is so low it gets drowned out by all of the other noise around me. Again, it doesn't bother me and I have no problem playing that machine.

A question for you though: How do you know that the video poker machine was purposely programmed that way? As I said, I have found many machines where the sound doesn't work and I really never though they were purposely programmed that way. I just assumed they were malfunctioning.

Also, I believe that if you are dealt a winning hand, besides the sound you hear, the machine also displays a message that it's a winning hand. Are you also saying that message about a winning hand was not displayed either?

[jj & cindy]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

We wanted to post a more detailed account of this incident and answer some of Mr. Bourie’s questions dated March 5, 2011.

While we watched our friends playing Video Poker Machine # C20032979 at Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino on December 31, 2010, they experienced the machine not having any sound. They were told by a slot attendant and then a floor supervisor, that the video poker machine was broken and they would not fix it. Like we expressed before, unlike a regular slot machine, a Video Poker machine has an audio alert when the player is dealt a winning hand. The manufacturer gives the owner of a Video Poker machine the ability to turn the sound down or up, but not off. That is not an option for a Video Poker machine because of the audible winning hand feature. (IGT)

Because the floor supervisor, [name redacted], flat out refused to send a slot technician over to check the machine they were playing, our friends were forced to get several people involved throughout the casino, including security, and almost got thrown out. When the shouting and belligerent language, from both sides, was brought to our host‘s attention, he called, [redacted], the Slot Technician Manager who sent, [redacted], a Slot Technician over to check the machine. We witnessed the slot tech removing the top, front panel and connecting the speaker wires.

We agree with Steve Bourie that a lot of video poker machines have no sound and it does not affect the experienced player’s play. But it does not hold true for novices. Especially our elderly parents. Also, to answer the other questions he posed, the visual winning hand acknowledgement was never tampered with. To reiterate, the speakers were not “programmed” off, but physically disconnected by Fantasy Springs Casino.

If a casino alters the normal function of a gaming device to gain an edge over the player, it is considered “cheating” or “fraudulent“ gaming (California Gambling Control Act, Chapter 10 Sections 332b, 334a and 337u.g.). By deliberately disconnecting the speakers and eliminating the sound on a Video Poker Machine, we feel the establishment gains an edge. Just because the establishment got caught tampering with this machine and eventually hooked the speakers back up, does not change the fact that they were cheating customers and are probably still cheating customers by telling them that the “Video Poker machines are old and have no sound and they will not fix them.” Any video poker machine that has no sound, especially if it is brought to the casino’s attention by a player, should be fixed or removed from the casino floor.

[lee]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

Here in Michigan, the MGM just lowers the paytables & takes out the PENNY VP and leaves only FIVE nickel VP machines.

BUT...they sure have added NEW penny machines that take 80 cents to 2 bucks for 1 spin. Bunch of A-holes who wouldn't know a promotion or what customers want if it was
staring at em.

[SteveBourieOLD]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

Thanks for telling the whole story about what happened.

[Tom R]

Re: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CA - caught tampering with a Video Poker Machine

We appreciate the opportunity that ACG has extended so that the entire incident and aftermathh can be told. The final chapter has yet to be written. There is still a pending complaint.

In the mean time, just an update on the two other websites that are protecting Fantasy Springs Casino. Tripadvisor will not communicate and is stonewalling our group on our pending posts. As for Yelp, here’s the latest:

“Dear Yelp HQ:

During our monthly homeowners meeting, Yelp came up as the topic of conversation mainly because you refuse to communicate with our group in regards to you closing all of our accounts from our community computer with the same IP address. What you must understand is, what Fantasy Springs Casino tried, in tampering with their Video Poker machines, needed our attention. We'd like to draw your attention to Fantasy Springs's "rating distribution/trend" graph on your website. As you and your readers can see, their 4 star rating in January, when we began our pursuit of justice, is now a 2 star rating. Hopefully, they will remain there, where they belong. Yelp's decision to protect Fantasy Springs Casino is now putting Yelp's reputation in jeopardy. We have not yet arrived at a quorum on how to handle Yelp’s decision, as the hour grew late at our meeting.”