n 1953 the celebrated Harvard behavioural psychologist BF Skinner published a paper about the gambling habits of rats. Testing his theory of 'operant conditioning' he had noticed a strange compulsive tendency among his laboratory rodents.

When one of Skinner's rats pressed a lever, it was given a food pellet. By experiment Skinner then established that if a pellet was delivered only on the 10th press of the lever, the rat would quickly learn to press the lever 10 times. If, however, a random element was introduced to the lever-pressing, whereby a pellet was still introduced on average one in 10 times, but sometimes delivered twice or three times in a row and sometimes not for 20 or more presses, the rat apparently became obsessed with the lever-operation itself.

The best chance you'll get? | Review | The Observer

While Mexico's ban on casino gambling appears secure for the time being, the country has nevertheless emerged as one of the world's hottest markets for video game manufacturers. South-of-the-border installations of so-called "electronic bingo" games have topped more than 10,000 machines and should approach or exceed 15,000 by the end of 2006, according to manufacturers' estimates. One supplier projects the market could grow to 50,000 machines in the next five years.

Bingo Gaming in Mexico :: Ascend Media

This is a document about the economic impact of the proposed changes to Class II gaming.

NIGC: Analysis Group Economic Impact Document on Proposed Class II Regulation Changes

Inc. is a great resource for startup CEOs. Its only $10 for a year, and you can get two for that price if you buy an issue at the newstand and fill out the little gift card.

Subscribe to Inc. for Just $9.97 and get 2 FREE Gifts

a

IGT Press Release : IGT and MGM Mirage Sign Patent License Agreement

NIGC Extends Public Comment Period for Proposed Class II Technical Regulations

Washington DC, December 14, 2006 — The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) announces an extension of the public comment period for proposed Class II technical regulations. Official notice will be published in the Federal Register next week. The comment period will be extended to run through January 31, 2007.

The proposed rule would add a new part to the Commission’s regulations establishing technical standards for Class II games – bingo, lotto, other games similar to bingo, pull tabs, or “instant bingo” – that are played primarily through “electronic, computer, or other technologic aids.” The proposed rule would also establish a process for assuring the integrity of such games and aids before their placement in a Class II tribal gaming operation. No such standards currently exist. The Commission has proposed this action in order to assist tribal gaming regulatory authorities and operators in ensuring the integrity and security of Class II games and gaming revenue.

“The comments received at the Tribal Advisory Committee meeting last week in Washington, DC and follow up comments we have received have given us good reason to extend the comment period for the technical regulations” said NIGC Chairman Phil Hogen. Hogen continued “We believe that our goals of assuring integrity in the industry and protecting tribal assets in a secure technological environment can be met through this set of regulations.”

The comment period for proposed Class II classification standards and Class II definitions will end tomorrow December 15, 2006.

The NIGC is an independent regulatory agency established within the Department of the Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.

There are many enemies of Tribal gaming. The National Indian Gaming Commission is considering changing regulations that govern Class II games, to make them less profitable. This will have a strongly negative effect on the revenues of many tribes.

Class II is bingo based gaming, or centrally determinant systems. Although the screen of the video slot often looks like a reel slot, the math behind it is based on bingo: a pool of players compete for a common prize pool. Bingo is less strictly regulated than Class III, or reel slots like you might see in Vegas are. Tribes don't have to get permission from the state to run Class II games. They do have to get permission to run Class III games.

The NIGC is trying to make Class II games more bingo like, which means they will play slower and be less attractive to players. This is probably part of a larger campaign by enemies of Tribal gaming in congress, like John McCain, to limit the revenues tribal gaming generates, to increase the government's share of this money, and to limit the growth of Tribal gaming. This is a bad thing.

The economic advantages that Tribal sovereignty has made possible since the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 have helped create a cultural revival among Native Americans. Populations are up for the first time since the European invasion. Tribes are thriving. This is a good thing. And despite the media-inspired stereotype of per capita payments for American Indians, the vast majority of Indian casino revenue goes to provide government services.

Hopefully this extended public comment period will result in the NIGC backing off a bit. They should leave Class II alone.

Class II Technical Regulation Revisions Public Comment Period Extended :: NIGC Press Release

So we have a flash demo up of our new product, with my voice narrating.

eMpower Lite Reporting™

Myth #8: I need $5 million to start my business

Reality: Unless you're building hardware (in which case you should definitely rethink what you're doing) you most likely don't need any startup capital at all. Paul Graham has written extensively about this so I won't belabor it too much, except to say this: you don't need much startup capital, but what you do need is a willingness to work your buns off. You have to bring your brilliant idea to fruition yourself; no one else will do it for you, and no one will give you the money to hire someone to do it for you. The reason is very simple: if you don't believe in the commercial potential of your idea enough to give up your evenings and weekends to own a bigger chunk of it, why should anyone else believe in it enough to put their hard-earned money at risk?

Get a prototype working, a simple version of the thing you want to sell, or pack up and go home.

Rondam Ramblings: Top ten geek business myths

This is our ad for Native American Casino, September 2006 Issue.

Gold Star. :)

Lucision Releases eMpower Lite Casino Reporting Software

Apple and Cingular have signed an agreement that will make the US' largest cell phone provider the exclusive carrier of Apple's forthcoming phone, sources report. Apple's iPhone remains on track for an early 2007 release. Apple's phone will feature a candy-bar design with a 2.2-inch display and 3 megapixel camera. Robust iTunes and iSync support will also be delivered with the phone.

Apple's exclusive contract with Cingular is said to be good for the first six months, sources report, meaning other providers will be able to sell the phone in the second-half of 2007. Cingular had an exclusive on the Motorola ROKR—the first phone to feature iTunes—when it launched last year.

Sources say Apple is in talks with providers in other parts of the world on exclusive deals, but are short on specifics. O2 had the exclusive on the ROKR in Europe, however, suggesting that provider may again be tapped to launch Apple's phone.

Meanwhile, insiders say Apple is internally estimating that shipments of the iPhone will top a staggering 25 million in 2007 alone. Motorola's RAZR, by contrast, has sold more than 50 million units since its launch in late 2004. Apple is betting a phone with Apple's iconic design, elegant interface, and iPod-matching functionality will be a strong draw for users who currently carry both devices on them.

I hate to post an Apple prediction, because they're usually false but...

Apple iPhone to be Cingular exclusive