Maine's Hollywood Slots Adds Video Poker to the Mix

BANGOR, Maine – as reported by the Bangor Daily News: “Hollywood Slots has become Maine's only commercial establishment to offer video poker, marking what could be the first of other new games of chance at the Main Street racing casino.

“Its owner, Penn National Gaming Inc., notified state officials last week of the plan to add the game to 10 machines in response to customer requests.

“‘It's doing well, the games are busy,’ Hollywood Slots General Manager Jon Johnson said Thursday.

“State law permits Hollywood Slots to operate video poker and any other game of chance on its 450 machines, with some limits, so games such as blackjack could be on the way soon.

“When the state's racino law was signed in 2001, it legalized operation of slot machines that are more versatile than the traditional one-armed bandits. The newer machines can be programmed to run a variety of games of chance, either through insertion of a microchip or by directly downloading the games into each machine's hard drive.

“The law defines a slot machine as any device that returns a payoff, including cash or credits, to a player who inserts money or a token to play a game of chance. To operate legally, the machine must be independently tested, then hooked into a central monitoring system.

“…One major stipulation is that all games must provide an annual average return to players of at least 89 percent, Welch said.

“…Video poker that gives the player a payoff had been illegal in Maine before the 2004 signing of a state law which allows commercial tracks to operate slot machines. Nonprofit groups, such as fraternal organizations, can offer the game only for amusement or as a fundraiser.

“The video poker games at Hollywood Slots are available in 25 cent and $1 denominations. The game will be added to more machines if it proves popular with customers, Johnson said….”