If there was ever any sector of the casino gambling industry more controversial than the others, it would certainly have to be the slot machines. Whether getting them approved to be offered at a dog track, or allowing a casino to up the amount of slot machines on their gaming floor, slots are often at the center of gambling related legislation and ballots. This time, slots are at the center of a lawsuit which the Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians in Colusa, California recently filed with the U.S. District Court in Sacramento.

Once again, the question arises as to how many slot machines a casino is permitted to have on their floor. In the case of the Colusa Casino Resort, however, the question has evolved into what designates a single slot machine. According to the tribes lawsuit against the California Gambling Control Commission, the tribe is losing out on casino gaming revenues because the Commission is counting each of a their multi-screen slot machines as more than a single slot, thus putting a limited cap on how many machines can be offered in their casino.

Since single stand-alone slot machines offer multiple games on different playing screens, the Commission views this as being more than one slot. Perhaps some clarification is needed between a slot machine and a slot game. The tribe's defense is that although the machines have multiple playing screens, they are similar to online slots in that they are operated by a single Random Number Generator, thus giving players the same wagering outcome no matter the game being played. In other words, these machines essentially offer the same games but with different themes and playing formats.

If the California Gambling Control Commission does indeed get away with declaring the machines with "multiple" status, the Colusa Casino Resort would effectively have more machines than they are legally allotted. Let's just the say their lawsuit is also a means of protection against any possible legal repercussions charged by the Commission. The case seems to be moving at a snails pace, however, and gambling goes on as usual at the Colusa Casino, which is actually a really nice place to stay and wager. Complete with a hotel, dining facilities, 50,000 square foot casino, 750 coin slot machines (whatever that means) and a dedicated poker room, the Wintun tribe certainly has something to fight for.