TEXAS HOLDEM ONLINE POKER

More Texas Holdem poker games and multistate progressive slot machine games are in the early talking stages among casino executives in Arizona.

Executives at Arizona's 22 Indian casinos are in ongoing talks with state gaming regulators to update and amend the gaming compact, a voter-approved measure that allows Indian gaming in Arizona.

Casinos and the Arizona Department of Gaming also are close to finishing formal language for security and surveillance regulations, which currently rely on meager measures instituted in 1993, when Indian casinos were legalized in Arizona.

"It's putting in a regulatory requirement for surveillance," said Joseph Calabrese, chief executive of the Tohono O'odham Gaming Enterprise, which operates the two Desert Diamond casinos. "Almost everybody is doing it voluntarily already."

Next on the agenda is an update of keno regulations, also dating from 1993, when the only way to display numbers was to look at balls blown into a tube. Now, wireless technology and other technological advancements have come to keno, but they are not addressed in the current compact.

Calabrese in April 2004 led the way to establish an Arizona Association of Casino Executives. Despite the long distances between the state's casinos, executives met once a month in the first year and now get together every two months to share ideas and concerns and jointly determine what is best for the state's casino industry.

"I just thought casinos needed to come together to talk about the differences between operations," Calabrese said. "Each CEO has different regulations and operating requirements."

Casinos not only follow state regulations, but each tribe also has its own requirements. Executives from 11 casinos met last week at the Desert Diamond Casino on Pima Mine Road.

"The first thing is to have relationships with other casinos," said David Williams, director of gaming operations at Harrah's Phoenix Ak-Chin Casino. "With everybody on the same page, you get a larger voice, just like any other business."

The two topics casino players would notice the most are the casinos' desire to broaden poker offerings and add multistate progressive machines, in which jackpots are based on the combined play in several states. The casino executives have not formally entered into talks with state regulators on these.

Poker, which is skyrocketing in popularity through television, could expand to include games such as Caribbean stud poker and three-card poker if casino executives choose to approach state regulators.

Casinos have far more enthusiasm for wide-area progressive slots, because slots make up more than 80 percent of casino gaming revenue. Arizona's casinos are limited to in-state progressives, but slot machine makers focus much more on multistate systems.

"You get a broader variety of games, the jackpots are bigger, and there is more frequency of winners," said Ward Bettridge, casino operations manager for the O'odham.

Realizing public scrutiny of gaming, the executives seek regulations that protect casino visitors.

"Why are we doing all we are doing? You're wanting to have a safe gaming environment free of crime," said Dan Quigley, general counsel to the O'odham casinos.