Gambling machine banned

Monday, June 17, 2002 | 11:27 a.m.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma Indian tribes should stop operating a certain electronic gambling machine because it's illegal, federal gaming officials said Friday.

"All tribes operating MegaNanza and its variations should cease the operation of these games immediately," Tim Harper, Tulsa region chief for the National Indian Gaming Commission, said in a letter to the tribes.

If they don't, the tribes risk civil fines or closure orders from the gaming commission, Harper said.

Multimedia Games Inc. of Austin, Texas, which makes the games, has filed a civil lawsuit in Tulsa federal court challenging the commission's decision, said Dirk Heinen, the company's vice president of business development.

Multimedia wants a judicial declaration that the Countdown Bingo and Two Step Bingo versions are "Class II" games and legal in Oklahoma.

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