OK, I'll bite since this is a topic that will only get 'hotter' as time goes by in the areas where live poker is on delay ... or may never return.
What is going to happen to 'our' money in the BBJ/Promo funds?
These funds are typically in an escrow account (NOT earning interest) and under it's own set of paperwork with the Gaming entity. Obviously the easy answer is to read the promotional paperwork ... but how do you get the complete document?
I've seen where a slot jackpot was transferred to another bank of slots when they were retired, but would a casino be able to move poker funds into the slots or pits? That is the question.
For now, there's no answer ... and no reason for casinos to comment either. Most every casino is still dealing with various 'phases' of CV re-entry and until all the phases have been gone through that will be the built in excuse if they haven't brought poker back before that point in time.
I would assume that the casino or Gaming (possibly via a Freedom of Information Act if you're really desperate) is required to supply those documents if you make a proper request. Then you can see if there's any language in there for exiting the promotion 'with cause' so to speak.
I think it's way too early to make this a burning topic, but there are casinos in our area that have converted poker space into slot space, so the conversation is almost unavoidable. However, I don't think it's too much of a stretch for a Gaming organization to use CV and make an exception which would allow these funds to be sent in another direction should a facility choose not to offer poker anymore.
What are you seeing on your end? Floors ... Players ... GL
I suspect that many closures will be labeled temporary. They will claim that they plan on reopening after restrictions are no longer necessary which could be a year+ from now. In those cases the funds will likely be held in limbo for what could be a very long time.
In cases where they are actually permanent it will depend on the local gaming commission. If tribal they can generally do what they want. States will vary widely.
I would assume that the casino or Gaming (possibly via a Freedom of Information Act if you're really desperate) is required to supply those documents if you make a proper request. Then you can see if there's any language in there for exiting the promotion 'with cause' so to speak.
Your amount of desperation will not matter. FOIA only pertains to executive branch agencies in the federal government; consequently, state or other governing body gaming boards are exempt from its requirements. (Although states may (but are not required to) have their own law governing right of access to government documents.)
I know for a fact in the State of Mississippi the money can go into the casino general fund for promotions (ie cash or prize giveaway) if the room closes. This is exactly what was done with a sizeable bad beat jackpot at Splash Casino.
Put a little time into this last week and got a bit more informed as to how things are put together ... and why I was a bit confused when involved in some discussions concerning the oversight of different casinos. I don't claim to be an expert today, but just more informed.
I was always confused as to why 'Gaming' had difficulties/delays in approving various poker promotions at one casino, but not others. What I found out is that my home casino, being tribal, has it's very own 'Gaming' oversight. It's more like an Internal Affairs department since it's sole responsibility is just this one casino.
Although there is a 'federal' Indian Gaming Commission that could ultimately get involved with tribal casino issues, the first level of all disputes would go to this entity, which holds offices within the casino itself ... so you could almost see them as co-workers of sorts. I would assume that it's not supposed to be that way, but ...
So as others have indicated, the path to information can vary drastically from one poker room to the next, especially within a casino.
Ultimately one should hope that promotional money should remain within the same 'type' of 'game', but not necessarily that same exact 'game'. My point being that since technically there's no 'rake' in slots or pit games. And to an even more specific point, promo rake is kept separate from regular rake, thus it is truly Player funded.
So you would hope that any Player funded proceeds would have to remain within those types of games, which might be limited to poker and bingo at most places.
But ultimately it may come down to the casino Member Counsel making a decision that 'Gaming' would review and probably be required to rubber stamp somehow, so long as it falls within the 'federal' Indian Gaming Regulations ... and who knows how much gray area and 'extreme circumstances' language is within all that paperwork.
It's looking kind of like Rule #1 in poker ... We have these (many) rules in place, but if it can be deemed 'good for the game' (casino) then we are allowed to rule this way as we see fit.
I'm certainly not implying that it's that vague, but I think in general that it will ultimately come down to whatever the casino wants to do and then Gaming will make it fit somewhere in an effort to avoid anyone being able to raise too much of a fuss. GL
So now we have two possible 'watch' casinos, but in two separate states.
Further research into the Michigan casino situation shows that there's 'well' over $100K in the promo fund between regular promos and two BBJ jackpots that are at around $80K combined. Poker is considered a Class II game, and thus any 'player funded' promotions need to be within a Class II game that is also player funded. This pretty much limits it down to poker and Bingo.
But depending on how the original gaming pact was written there may be enough gray area that the funds could be pulled into the Class III games. This is the rub and then you would need to somehow inject a claim/complaint within the proper channels to dispute those funds going that direction.
None of this has happened yet. Most every casino can claim that they are in the 'decision phase' when it comes to bringing poker back .. and when. So there really isn't any smoke right now, just 'concern'.
Our second casino example is The Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN. Pictures surfaced that show that the poker room is filled with slots currently. I don't have much information on the promotional funds there and the gaming rules are probably different in Indiana than Michigan.
As I've stated before, any 'pursuit' of these funds is premature and I'm really not sure how we could suggest that a casino has had enough time to make a decision about poker's fate. There's nothing wrong with trying to call back Dealers and place them in different areas of the casino 'for the time being'.
Some in the poker community want to call the TV channels and get them involved. But again, there's really not even any smoke to work with right now. Yes, there are casinos that have made the effort to get poker going on the east, west and southern fronts of the US, but until the home state of a particular casino has been given the 'all clear' from their Governor it's all just a waiting game.
In the mean time, home games are thriving and online poker in some states continues to move forward as well. GL
