Whereas Class III machines operate in a independent manner, Class II machines are really just an elaborate display for the bingo games running in the background. When you play a slot machine at a NA casino and there’s a bingo card somewhere on the screen, that’s a good indication you’re playing a Class II machine instead of a true, Class III slot machine. As time marched on and customers flocked to slot machines, companies innovated what essentially were (and still are) fancier displays of bingo games. Many early NA casinos were nothing more than bingo halls. Class III includes traditional casino games such as true slot machines, roulette, craps, etc. Class II games are most attractive to NA casinos because not only do they not require tribes to enter into state compacts, but tribes don’t have to pay taxes on Class II gaming revenue.įinally, Class III is a catch-all classification for games that don’t fall under Class I or II classifications. You won’t find these at casinos.Ĭlass II games are games of chance based on bingo and similar games, like pull-tabs or lotteries. Class I refers to simple, traditional social games for small prizes and is not controlled by the IGRA. Class I, II, and III Gamesįor legal reasons, the IGRA created 3 different classes of gambling. The IGRA was signed into law in 1988 and established the framework for Indian gaming. It gave the authority to tribes to conduct, license, and regulate gaming. To understand how, or even why bingo-based slot machines exist, it helps to have a quick background on Native-American (NA) gambling.

What are bingo based slot machines