Neal’s jackpot measure opposed

Erin Neff

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 11:39 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- State Gaming Control Board representatives told a legislative committee this morning that casinos should not be required to pay jackpots when a slot machine malfunctions.

Opening the bowels of a slot machine to show how the game works, and how it can malfunction, Control Board Chairman Dennis Nielander told the Senate Judiciary Committee that malfunctions that void a jackpot are so rare that a bill by Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, is not necessary.

Neal's bill would require casinos to pay all jackpots even if they were struck due to malfunctioning machines.

Of the 10 billion handle pulls last year, Nielander said gaming control agents were only called 727 times to investigate disputed results. Of that amount, 40 went to an administrative hearing.

Neal sponsored Senate Bill 100 to require casinos to pay a jackpot after a player at Arizona Charlie's said he saw the reels indicate a $463,895 progressive jackpot. Attendants at the casino told Joe Pepitone, a Las Vegas butcher, that the machine had malfunctioned, and that he did not really win.

Pepitone took his case to the Nevada Supreme Court and lost.

"It is time I think that we take a look at this to see whether or not the image of this state is in jeopardy," Neal said.

His bill would require a payout if the machine malfunctions, even if the machine includes a notice that a malfunction would void a jackpot. Neal's bill would not apply if the person making the wager intentionally caused the malfunction.

Since a person relies on what he or she sees line up on the machine, it is not possible for the average player to know whether the machine's random number generator -- internal software -- has actually lined up on a win.

Committee Chairman Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said he was more concerned about a case in which the random number generator indicated a win but the reels did not.

"If we put this law into effect what would happen if they didn't line up because of a malfunction of the reel but the person actually won?" James asked.

No vote was taken on Neal's bill, which seems unlikely to pass given opposition from gaming and concerns from James and other committee members.