Ask the Expert: Why can't I win at tribal casino slot machines?

Please discuss the Indian casinos in Michigan. Are their paybacks the same as non-Indian casinos? Who regulates them?

I frequent a newer casino in Battle Creek. I never can win. Other casinos seem to pay well but not this casino.

All the slot machines are new. Can they control these machines with the computer software?

Indian casinos are regulated by the federal government via the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and also by the state if the tribe has negotiated a compact with the state in order to offer Class III games.

Long-term paybacks at Native American casinos aren't necessarily lower than those at corporate casinos. I think the operator's philosophy on payback and the amount of competition the casino faces have more to do with the long-term payback on the slot floor than whether the casino is owned by a tribe or a corporation.