Casinos upgrade tracking of cash

New compacts allow games that need scrutiny

By MEG JONES mjones@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Monday, September 8, 2003

As roulette wheels begin to turn and dice are tossed in craps pits at American Indian casinos in Wisconsin, the amount of money rolling in will be watched diligently -- and not by just overhead security cameras.

With the addition of new games allowed under compacts signed earlier this year, casinos are setting up systems to track the amount of money won and lost and to report that information to the state.

It's done to ensure the integrity of the games, help casinos protect themselves against the possibility of illegal activity and make sure the state gets its cut.

Casinos already are required to report how much money is wagered on slot machines. That's fairly easy, since slot machines are computers that can easily be hooked up to a central slot accounting system that keeps track of how much money is going in and out.

Slot accounting information is sent to the state Gaming Commission each month by Wisconsin casinos, either electronically or by CD-ROM.

But cold, hard cash wagered on the throw of dice or a small white ball dropping into a slotted roulette wheel is a bit different.

"With table games, there's a human element," said Mike McClure, an attorney with the state Division of Gaming. "You've got a dealer at a table. He puts his money in a drop box. There are certain accounting procedures, and that information gets manually put" into a system similar to that used for slot machines.

Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee began offering roulette and craps in June, and other casinos are training and hiring workers to offer the new games soon.

Casinos will be required to keep track of money spent on roulette, craps and new card games such as poker and Caribbean stud and to report the information so state gaming officials can keep an eye on wins, losses and wagers.

Under compacts signed this year with 11 American Indian tribes, the state will receive $200 million over two years. The agreements require tribes to keep track of money wagered and report it to the state. Starting in the third year of the compacts, the state will receive a percentage of the money wagered, McClure said.

That's one reason verifying revenue for each tribe is important, McClure said.

"Given the amount of cash that runs through (casinos), the potential mischief is higher than in some other industries. The state has an interest in minimizing those sorts of risks," McClure said.

The Ho-Chunk Nation, which operates three casinos, is in the process of changing its data accounting system to handle new games that will be added in a few weeks, said Anne Thundercloud, the tribe's public relations officer.

Craps will soon be offered at Majestic Pines Casino near Black River Falls; roulette will be added at Rainbow Casino in Nekoosa. Ho- Chunk Casino near Wisconsin Dells will add Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride and three-card poker this month, while roulette and craps are scheduled to start next month, Thundercloud said. Ho-Chunk Casino also will open a poker room for players of seven-card stud, Omaha and Texas Hold 'Em.

At Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, two craps tables and two roulette wheels opened in June.

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