Video Poker Forum

Interested in others' experiences at Indian casinos in general. That's all we have in California and my experience has mostly been a losing one at several places. Also too smoky with no non-smoking areas. Any recommendations?

Indian casinos are not regulated. They will tell you that they are tightly regulated by their own gaming association, but self-regulation pretty much means you get what you pay for. If you are playing to win and risking your money to do so, why would you chance the regulation? I never play at Indian casinos other than for practice because their regulation is so suspect.

Interested in others' experiences at Indian casinos in general. That's all we have in California and my experience has mostly been a losing one at several places. Also too smoky with no non-smoking areas. Any recommendations?I usually play at Foxwoods in CT.  Granted, it's not your typical "Indian casino", just based on sheer size.  (And, with the addition they're building in partnership with MGM Grand, it's gonna be a WHOLE lot bigger !)  I figure that the regulation/oversight is stricter than with other Indian casinos as well.  AFA the non smoking areas, they're big at Foxwoods ..... but what isn't ?    They have non-smoking areas for both machines and table games.

My feeling is that if I want to give to charity I'd rather write a check and get the tax deduction.  If I want to go on a mission trip I'll sing up with  a church group.  I think the Indians (Native Americans) are having fun with pay back time for past grievances...   I'll save my money and fly to Vegas.    I've paid for  a lot of moccasins.

I agree kjmema! I'd rather be in LV too, or even Laughlin. Indian casinos have been a total bust in my experience so why bother?  I used to go to the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez because it was on my way home but they rebuilt it and didn't include a non-smoking area! Unbelievable. I haven't been back since I found that out. I guess they didn't want my business anyway.
 
My preference is some of the older places in LV (before they get torn down) although had great time at Sunset Station in Henderson last month. The Station line is generally very good across the board. I stay away from high-end places like the Venetian since they don't cater to me as a nickel/quarter player anyway.
 
Would love to go more often though.

Absolutely, Jokergal. Give your business to casinos that are subject to regulation and taxation. Indian casinos enjoy an unfair financial edge and are unregulated to boot.

I believe that in Oklahoma, the Indian Casinos are regulated by the State.  At least to the point of making sure that the Poker and Blackjack tables are paying them their 20% of the table's income.  The casino gets only their per hand antes from the players as income.  The other 80% of the table's income is supposed to go back to the players in the form of drawings or tournament payouts.
 
Now the machines are a bit different.  Until recently, Oklahoma had some law that did not allow class III machines such as are available in Nevada and other casinos around the country.  These machines (Class II in Oklahoma) were tied to some BINGO game and didn't necessarily seem to follow the expected payouts that a Class III machine would have.  I mean, you could watch the little BINGO card on a VP machine and you would see that you were granted a win only when the numbers came up on the BINGO card!  They now are allowing Class III VP machines that are not tied to the BINGO game and their payouts seem to be in line with those I play in Las Vegas.  In fact, I've won more on SOME Oklahoma VP machines that I have out in Vegas.
 
I'm not at all leary of playing Indian Casinos at VP.  However, I am reluctant to employ Advantage Play at their casinos with Blackjack simply because the casinos are located on Reservation land which is a separate Nation....State law inforcement does not have juristiction or at least not as much as in the regular United States <smile>.  In other words, if you are caught counting cards in an Indian Casino, I'd be very concerned about the interogation that might result in that BACK ROOM!

i play at choctaw in ok occassionally and usually hit 1 or 2 royals every trip,find machines easier than sams town in shreevport which i swear is crooked,rng must be tainted.5 trips to okla =7 royals,6 trips to la 0 royals.

Is Chactaw in Tulsa?  I'm in Springfield,  Mo and we sometimes go to the casino's in Miami but I find that they don't have many VP machines and no one seemes to have many credits on the machines.  I walk around behind people to see if ANYONE has any credits or cash built up.  I'm off to Vegas tomorrow with my hubby for three days....Staying at the Green Valley Ranch.   Can'twait.   Maybe I'll have a Royal story to tell...

I just played some nickel VP at the Paradise casino just south of Kansas on Highway 77.  It's a new gas station owned by the same 7-Clans that owns the other Paradise casino in Redrock.
 
The new casino has three Game Master nickel machines but the catch to them is that max credits is 20.  You only get the equilivent of 4000 for the Royal if you are playing at the 20-credit level (playing at the 5-credit level you only get 1250 for the royal).  The DB paytable is 9/6 instead of the full pay 10/7.
 
Even though this machine is less than optimum for play, I've done quite well on it.  No Royals, but enough quads to keep me alive.  I've done better at the Paradise in Redrock.  Down there, the max credits are 5 and you are paid 4,000 for the royal at that level.