Class Ii Slots Strategy

  1. Class Ii Slots Strategy Guide
  2. Class Ii Slot Strategy
  3. Class Ii Slots Strategy No Deposit
  1. I've been getting a lot of questions about class 2 slot machines lately! Class 2 slot games are regulated so they involve a game of chance. Bingo is that g.
  2. If you’ve never played a Class II slot, a good way to get a feel for their characteristics is to watch one of the YouTube videos filmed by players such as Random $$ Slots. There’s a link to one of his channel devoted exclusively to Class II Slots HERE. The channel originally had examples of Class II games by WMS, IGT, and Cadillac Jack.
  3. Oklahoma slot machine casino gambling consists of 131 American Indian tribal casinos, casino resorts, travel centers, and “gasinos” along with two pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines. No theoretical payout limits have been set for tribal casinos in Oklahoma.

A reel-spinning slot machine typically features 3 or 5 reels/cylinders with symbols and blanks printed on them. Matching these symbols in certain combinations leads to a winning payout. Video slots play the same, but they may have up to 7 reels, each representing three rows of five symbols. To see how slots pay less than true odds to give the house an edge, let’s set up an example that’s as streamlined as slot odds can get, a game of the type used in the early decades after Charles Fey invented the three-reel slot machine in 1895. A hypothetical three-reel slot game with one 7, two bars, three cherries and four watermelons per.

Thread Rating:

KevinAA
I've researched as much as I can about these things but there isn't much out there and my personal experience is not helping either.
Summary: Class II slot machines are found in Indian casinos (Class III is Vegas-style, or RNG). The reason why Class II exists is because originally, Indian casinos were only allowed to offer bingo, including electronic bingo. Modern Class II slot machines look and act just like an RNG slot machine.
At least two people must be playing in order for a Class II machine to run (one time I was unable to play because no one else was there). A bingo server draws a number about once a second. When you hit spin, the computer generates your bingo card and then it goes through all 23 possible winning patterns (22 normal patterns like T, corner spots, diamond, etc., and then this bizarre final 23rd one that a blackout in 75 balls wins a penny). A winning bingo pattern makes the reels stop at just the right spot so you win that much (no different than an RNG slot machine, just a different way of determining whether you win or lose). I read the help files on the machine but it doesn't explain everything. It doesn't explain how you get a red screen. Sometimes when you win, the screen turns red and the reels spin again, and when this happens, you always win something which is more than what you just won (i.e., not a regular free spin which can lose). I have never won a penny (that weird 23rd winning pattern). Probability of winning on a single payline is about 1 in 5 with the distribution of wins similar to an RNG machine, with lots of small wins and few large wins.
I've played these early in the morning when the casino is almost empty and at busy times to see if I can detect any pattern of advantage or disadvantage, and I can't tell. I've won when it's dead and lost when it's dead and I've won when it's busy and lost when it's busy.
Does anyone know if there is a player advantage or disadvantage to playing Class II slot machines when the casino is quiet or busy? Is the probability of winning exactly the same for bet 3 as it is for bet 1? (with the only difference being that the jackpot pays a bigger multiple of bet amt, similar to video poker)
Class Ii Slots StrategyWizard
Administrator
Thanks for this post from:
Class Ii Slots StrategyI've designed some class II slots so know a fair bit about the regulations and how they are designed.
In general, the competitive element of a class II slot accounts for only about 1% of the return. It will generally go to whoever completes a certain pattern first. You could be competing with other players anywhere in the casino or even the world. The competitors may be playing on entirely different themed machines too.
The other 89%, or so, of the return comes from 'consolation prizes,' which are fixed prizes for fixed patterns.
It is that 1% of the competitive element that makes them legal.
In my opinion, if you're going to legalize slots, then just legalize them. Quit kidding yourself that class II slots are really bingo.
It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet.
fitzbean
Thanks for this post from:

I've designed some class II slots so know a fair bit about the regulations and how they are designed.
In general, the competitive element of a class II slot accounts for only about 1% of the return. It will generally go to whoever completes a certain pattern first. You could be competing with other players anywhere in the casino or even the world. The competitors may be playing on entirely different themed machines too.
The other 89%, or so, of the return comes from 'consolation prizes,' which are fixed prizes for fixed patterns.
It is that 1% of the competitive element that makes them legal.
In my opinion, if you're going to legalize slots, then just legalize them. Quit kidding yourself that class II slots are really bingo.


Hey Wizard, I hate to necro this thread, but I was wondering - how is the RTP calculated for class II bingo slots when you never know how many people are going to be competing for that prize? As you mentioned, it's a small portion (1%), but how is that 1% calculated, if it can be? And wouldn't a busy casino theoretically bring down the RTP of the machine? Is there some sort of universal assumption on the average numbers of players that might be in on a game or something?
Thanks so much!
stephencmarvin
Class II slot machines look and act just like an RNG slot machine. Does it similar to skill based gaming machine or slot machines?
Mission146

Class II slot machines look and act just like an RNG slot machine. Does it similar to skill based gaming machine or slot machines?


I would say they operate most similarly to Pace-O-Matic machines. Some other machines just, “Play,” the pre-seeded pool of spins over and over, whereas (from what I can tell from the patents) POM’s randomly select a result from the remaining pool of spins, kind of similarly to the Class II central server.
I also thought POM banks had a linked pool of spins, but that’s apparently not necessarily true is because I found two POMs in one location—one is out of $0.40/bet spins on a particular game and the other isn’t.
Vultures can't be choosers.
fitzbean
Thanks for this post from:

I would say they operate most similarly to Pace-O-Matic machines. Some other machines just, “Play,” the pre-seeded pool of spins over and over, whereas (from what I can tell from the patents) POM’s randomly select a result from the remaining pool of spins, kind of similarly to the Class II central server.
I also thought POM banks had a linked pool of spins, but that’s apparently not necessarily true is because I found two POMs in one location—one is out of $0.40/bet spins on a particular game and the other isn’t.


I wouldn't say Class II slot machines operate like POMS. The results are actually completely random & based on a math model, just like traditional slots. The difference is that the randomness is not based on where the reels land, it's based on the outcome of the bingo draw. Making it play 'like a slot' as a designer can be challenging because getting the desired volatility etc can be difficult to translate from traditional math models.
Mission146

I wouldn't say Class II slot machines operate like POMS. The results are actually completely random & based on a math model, just like traditional slots. The difference is that the randomness is not based on where the reels land, it's based on the outcome of the bingo draw. Making it play 'like a slot' as a designer can be challenging because getting the desired volatility etc can be difficult to translate from traditional math models.


I agree with you, and that's actually kind of my point. The Class II slot machines randomly choose a result from the, 'Pool,' of remaining results in the central server and POM's do the same exact thing, according to their patent. The difference with POM is that the entire pool of results seems to be exclusive to an individual machine, (or maybe they can sometimes be linked) but either way, it's randomly chosen from the remaining results.
Vultures can't be choosers.
Wizard
Administrator
Thanks for this post from:

Hey Wizard, I hate to necro this thread, but I was wondering - how is the RTP calculated for class II bingo slots when you never know how many people are going to be competing for that prize? As you mentioned, it's a small portion (1%), but how is that 1% calculated, if it can be? And wouldn't a busy casino theoretically bring down the RTP of the machine? Is there some sort of universal assumption on the average numbers of players that might be in on a game or something?
Thanks so much!


The way it tends to work is the game will group 2 or more players together who made a bet at nearly the same time, say within a second of each other. Then the first player to complete some particular pattern (in the fewest balls) will win a very small prize. I wish I could take it further, but that's about all I know. When I do a class II game, the game maker will somehow tack on a competitive element, I only get asked to do the 'base game.'
It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet.

Class Ii Slots Strategy Guide

Wizard
Administrator
Thanks for this post from:

I would say they operate most similarly to Pace-O-Matic machines. Some other machines just, “Play,” the pre-seeded pool of spins over and over, whereas (from what I can tell from the patents) POM’s randomly select a result from the remaining pool of spins, kind of similarly to the Class II central server.
I also thought POM banks had a linked pool of spins, but that’s apparently not necessarily true is because I found two POMs in one location—one is out of $0.40/bet spins on a particular game and the other isn’t.


Class Ii Slot Strategy

The ones I have seen don't work like that. The outcome is based on a fair bingo card and ball draw. I'm not saying there isn't anywhere that does it the way you describe, but I think I can speak for California (when there were class II), Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet.
fitzbean
Thanks for this post from:

I agree with you, and that's actually kind of my point. The Class II slot machines randomly choose a result from the, 'Pool,' of remaining results in the central server and POM's do the same exact thing, according to their patent. The difference with POM is that the entire pool of results seems to be exclusive to an individual machine, (or maybe they can sometimes be linked) but either way, it's randomly chosen from the remaining results.


Hmm, as far as I know, Class II (Bingo) slots are not selecting a result from a pool of remaining results or a pool at all. Class II bingo is legal because you are actually playing Bingo behind the scenes, so mechanically, it must actually operate exactly like live bingo.
  • Page 1 of 2

If you’ve ever visited a Native American casino, chances are you’ve seen a Class II slot machine. They’re the games that display a bingo card somewhere on the screen.

So what are Class II slots and how are they different from the slot machines you’d find in Las Vegas?

A Brief History

In 1988 the United States enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), establishing the framework governing Native American gaming laws. The act established 3 classes of gaming:

  • Class I: traditional and social games for minimal prizes
  • Class II: games of chance based off bingo
  • Class III: a catch-all category of games that can’t be considered Class I or II, like slots, roulette, blackjack, etc.

Knowing the hurdles Native American casinos faced to allow Class III slots, gaming companies began developing Class II gaming machines: games that play like regular slots but are technically fancy versions of bingo.

Difference between Class II Games and Regular Slots

Regular (class III) slots use a random number generators (RNG) that generate thousands of random numbers each second. When you hit spin, that RNG locks in the value at that moment. Then the slot assigns reel positions to parts of the random number and evaluates your win (if there is one). We covered this in more detail here.

To be legally considered as such, class II slots have to be based on bingo. This is where class II game developers have been creative, often implementing different approaches. On some, like WMS and Multimedia Games, your machine’s “bingo card” remains constant and the drawn numbers change each time. On others (like VGT), you stay in the same game while your card randomly changes each spin.

The implementation doesn’t especially matter. What matters is that the game has the necessary elements required to be bingo: more than 1 player (class II slots must be networked together) and a set of numbers drawn that must match a pattern to result in a win that ends the game (a game-ending pattern).

The fact is Class II slots still rely on RNG to generate the cards and drawn numbers. It doesn’t matter if the RNG is creating simulated bingo cards/numbers on a class II game or virtual reel positions on a class III slot – the results are still random. Payouts are determined on regular slots by adjusting the reels and likelihood of landing on any position. Payouts on class II slots are defined by specifying the bingo patterns that must be matched and within what number of numbers drawn.

Why NA Casinos Prefer Class II

Strategy

While many modern NA casinos have a mix of class II and III games, the numbers almost always skew heavily towards class II games. Why?

For one, the IGRA granted tribes the power to self-regulate Class II gaming, whereas tribes have to enter state compacts to offer class III games.

But the big reason NA casinos prefer class II games is that tribes don’t owe taxes on class II revenue like they do on class III games.

Licensed slots and most of the fancy new, popular games aren’t available in class II form, so NA casinos keep a mix. However, slot manufacturers are taking an increased interest in offering Class II games. Aristocrat bought Oklahoma-based bingo game developer VGT and used their technology to start offering some Aristocrat favorites in Class II form.

Class Ii Slots Strategy No Deposit

The Bottom Line on Class II Games

Modern class II games can look, act, sound, and feel like typical class III, Vegas-style slots.

Class II games are sometimes criticized for their mysterious nature, leading some to believe they can be rigged. They’re networked together as a central server determines the wins.

Class III slots go through rigorous third-party and government testing to ensure their randomness and resistance to rigging. Class II slots go through some of the same tests, but the self-regulating nature and lack of transparency of NA casinos have historically raised questions about their fairness.

Though their back-end operates different, both class II and class III games still ultimately rely on RNG. Casinos don’t need to rig the machines because the games’ math is already in their favor. That’s not to say their games’ programmed payout percentage is going to be to your liking, but the notion of some casino worker selectively deciding who’s going to win and lose on class II games is just a myth that doesn’t make sense.

Your Take

Do you love or hate class II slots? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below!

Related