Which Arizona casinos have most violations?

Which Arizona casinos have most violations?
By: Joe Ducey
By: Maria Tomasch

PHOENIX - Going to the casino may be a favorite Arizona past time, but when you lose, is it just about bad luck?

The ABC15 Investigators are taking the first-ever look at years of slot machine reports to discover which casinos have the most problems.

WHAT THE ABC15 INVESTIGATORS UNCOVERED

The Arizona Department of Gaming does regular inspections of slot machines checking for evidence of tampering or mechanical failure that could affect your game.

We asked for records of every violation found in all 22 casinos across the state for the past three years, and found a total of 260 deficiencies or violations.

According to the state, the most common violation is when casinos do not replace revoked software. That happened more than 100 times. Old software could have a glitch, or it could just mean the machine needs upgrading.

Inspectors also found 86 issues with the belly doors. The concern here is that someone could be tampering with the machines. It's why filling out maintenance logs is required.

But inspectors cited 47 deficiencies where information was missing from logs, such as who went into the machine and why.

The ABC15 Investigators discovered not every slot machine receives a yearly state inspection. The Gaming Department picks about 50 machines from each casino to see if they are in compliance; 15 actually get tested for coin operation and working doors.



THE ARIZONA CASINOS WITH THE MOST VIOLATIONS

So, which casino has the most violations in Arizona over the last three years?

1) Casino del Sol just south of Tucson had the most with 67 violations. The biggest problem was revoked software.

2) Tonto Apache's Mazatzal casino in Payson had 58 violations, mostly having to do with hold percentages. That's how much the machine will pay out over its lifetime.

In Arizona, a machine has to pay out a minimum of 80% of what it takes in. The state has to approve any changes in the hold percentage of a machine.

3) The casino with the most violations in the Valley is Fort McDowell near Fountain Hills.

It had 21 violations over the last three years. The big problem there was revoked software.

Here are the casinos with the most violations in the state.

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation-Fort McDowell Gaming Center, near Fountain Hills - 21 violations

Pascua Yaqui Tribe-Casino del Sol, Tucson - 67 violations

Pascua Yaqui Tribe-Casino of the Sun, Tucson - 10 violations: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Quechan Indian Tribe-Paradise Casino, Fort Yuma - 11 violations: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Tohono O'odham Nation-Desert Diamond Casino II, Sahuarita-south of Tucson - 30 violations: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Tonto Apache Tribe-Mazatzal Casino, Payson - 58 violations: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6