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

[Mike 2]

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

How long has it been since this complaint was made?

[Tom R]

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

Our complaint was sent on February 14, 2011. We do not expect to hear anything for months as it will be handled by mail.

[jj & cindy]

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

Has anyone filed a complaint with a gaming commission anywhere? Or know of someone who has?

[jj & cindy]

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

The reason we are asking is because, when the complaint was first filed with the California gaming commission, they wouldn’t take it. They gave no reason and just forwarded it to the Attorney General’s office. Just wanted to know if anyone has experienced this in their State.

From what Steve posted today about Atlantic City, virtually doing whatever they want, it really got us thinking about this Fantasy Springs Casino complaint.

[jj & cindy]

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

We were sent an article from nwi.com in Indiana, that talked about a complaint that had been filed with the Indiana Gaming Commission last year, and after eight months, the patrons that filed the complaint about a craps table discrepancy were still waiting for a response from the gaming commission.

[jj & cindy]

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

Heard back from the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Gambling Control on the Fantasy Springs complaint. They said the first step in regards to this complaint is to file this complaint with the Fantasy Springs Casino Tribal Gaming Commission.

So far, no one in our group can find this commission on the internet or otherwise.

[jj & cindy]

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

Steve:

Just wanted you to know, when we google Fantasy Springs in looking for the Tribal Gaming Commission, your website comes up. Cool!

Thanks!

[jj & cindy]

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

Found out that Fantasy Springs Casino Tribal Gaming Commission is actually the Cabazon Tribal Gaming Commission . Apparently the referral from the CA Bureau of Gambling Control was wrong. Intentional, no one knows for sure. We’re on it. . .

[jj & cindy]

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

We did find a contact for the Chair of the Cabazon Tribal Gaming Commission and have contacted them about the tampering with the Video Poker machine. Not sure how they can look at themselves or what it will accomplish, but it will give us a lesson on the system and how it “works.”

[jj & cindy]

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

We were informed by the legal affairs department for the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino (the group that actually owns the casino), that the Cabazon Tribal Gaming Commission, (the independent group that looks at the affairs of Fantasy Springs Casino), will not accept our complaint in person. It appears that they share the same attorney. It’s like using the same lawyer as your wife is using for your divorce and wonder why she got everything!?!

Q: Why are we even doing this, with those facts?

A: Because the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Gambling Control will not investigate our complaint until we do.

[jj & cindy]

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

It appears that the complaint that was filed has been lost. Not very original, but when the “big guy on the block” gets caught, they gotta get creative!

[jj & cindy]

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

It is our understanding, that it was determined, this complaint could have been avoided simply by the day Supervisor, Halla-Rae, making an immediate request for Eddie the slot technician to reconnect the speaker wires, thereby giving the customer sound on their video poker machine as requested.

Happy Holidays to all!

[jj & cindy]

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

Even though the Cabazon Tribal Gaming Commission has come to a conclusion about this complaint, it’s confidential. But we haven’t given up. . .yet!

[Miller77]

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

It is our understanding, that it was determined, this complaint could have been avoided simply by the day Supervisor, Halla-Rae, making an immediate request for Eddie the slot technician to reconnect the speaker wires, thereby giving the customer sound on their video poker machine as requested.

Happy Holidays to all!

Wow... what an ordeal this has been.

I agree with the post that I have quoted above. That is all this situation really took.

I am wondering if the Supervisor or Slot Technician were aware that the machine was tampered with by having the speakers disconnected. Even if they were aware of it, all they had to do was simply say, "I'll look into it" and reconnected the speakers. Even if they told you that they had received complaints because they were too loud could have been accepted, but that never happened either.

Great dedication on your part by pursuing this for almost a year. I can't believe it took them that long to handle your complaint - that's brutal.

I wonder why they are keeping their complaint confidential - that's really odd.

I would not be going back there, and would not be shy about telling them. I am glad that there are forums like this that can inform people like us of things like this and a lack of cutomer service.

CM

[jj & cindy]

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

Wow... what an ordeal this has been.

I agree with the post that I have quoted above. That is all this situation really took.

I am wondering if the Supervisor or Slot Technician were aware that the machine was tampered with by having the speakers disconnected. Even if they were aware of it, all they had to do was simply say, "I'll look into it" and reconnected the speakers. Even if they told you that they had received complaints because they were too loud could have been accepted, but that never happened either.

Great dedication on your part by pursuing this for almost a year. I can't believe it took them that long to handle your complaint - that's brutal.

I wonder why they are keeping their complaint confidential - that's really odd.

I would not be going back there, and would not be shy about telling them. I am glad that there are forums like this that can inform people like us of things like this and a lack of cutomer service.

CM

We honestly believe, when the Fantasy Springs Casino slot technician was instructed to disconnect the speakers, absolutely no thought was given to the fact that they were tampering with a Video Poker machine. However, when sound was requested and the supervisor refused to even have a technician look at it, maybe they did know. This is what an investigation should find out? Like you said, even if they were aware of tampering with the sound of the machine they wouldn’t fix it until a complaint was filed with security. This is why IGT and other manufacturers give the player sound level controls on the screen. It’s our understanding that manufacturers have stopped using connecters and are now hard wiring speakers in their machines. The casino can choose the range of the sound, but not turn it off (unless they have wire cutters!).

As far as the confidentiality of the Cabazon Tribal Gaming Commission’s decisions, everything they do is confidential. We think that is why this complaint was referred to them. It remains to be seen what the State of California does. The original letter sent to Paul Ryan, the General Manager of Fantasy Springs at that time, did state that our friends and all of us supporting this complaint would not be gambling at that casino ever again.

The gaming industry, for people of our age, is one of the greatest forms of entertainment. When casinos try to gain an extra edge over players by breaking the law, forums like this are invaluable and expose them for what they are.