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Department Staff & Funding
The Department
is funded entirely by the gaming industry. No taxpayer funds
(i.e. State General Fund money) are used. The Department has a
budget of approximately $15.6 million for Fiscal Year 2008.
This includes $2.7 million for the Department's Office of Problem
Gambling.
The Department has 110 full-time
employees, including:
·
37 AZPOST-certified peace officers
·
18 financial
investigators and auditors with various specialties. They
include CPAs and Certified Fraud Examiners
·
8 slot machine technicians
What The
Department Does
Inspection
of
Slot Machines
The Department
inspects and certifies more than 1,000 slot machines and gaming
devices each month during on-site visits to casinos.
The Department
inspects the machines, software, and electronic slot monitoring
systems to make sure that the machines pay their required payout
percentages and are operating properly.
The Department
conducts random spot checks at approximately 10 to 12 casinos each
month. Technicians arrive unannounced at a casino and test up
to 50 randomly selected machines.
The Department inspects and
certifies slot machines and gaming devices every time a casino
installs a new machine, upgrades software on a machine, or converts
a machine to a new game theme.
The Department makes sure that
the machines and game management systems accurately record the
amount of money that goes in and out of the machines.
All gaming software and
electronic slot monitoring systems are tested by an independent
testing lab before the machines are even shipped to Arizona.
The independent lab makes sure the games are uncorrupted and meet
Arizona's strict gaming standards.
Certification
of
Gaming Employees
The Department
conducted background investigations on 2,336 new applications and 7,630 renewal applications
from gaming employees in calendar year 2007. Gaming employees
must apply for recertification every year.
Certification
of
Gaming Vendors
The Department
conducted detailed background investigations on 102 new applicants
and 201 renewal applicants for vendor certification in calendar
2007. Companies must complete a detailed recertification
process every two years.
Approval of Tournaments,
Drawings
Casinos must seek prior approval
before they can conduct tournaments, drawings, promotions, and cash
or prize giveaways. The Department approved 1,105 drawings,
promotions, tournaments, and new games in calendar 2007.
Tribal
Investigations & Inspections
The Department:
Performs on-site inspections of
casinos and monitors gaming operations.
Assures public safety through
continual oversight of gaming facilities to ensure use of
appropriate security and surveillance procedures.
Investigates suspected Compact
violations and criminal or suspicious activities.
Intelligence
The Department
gathers and
disseminates information about threats to gaming operations and
facilities. The Department maintains and disseminates a
self-exclusion list of about 2,000 compulsive gamblers who have
agreed to not enter any Arizona casino for 1, 5, or 10 years.
Audits
The Department conducts annual
on-site audits of each casino to review compliance with the Compact
and its appendices. A Compact Compliance Review team typically
includes 10 to 12 Department employees. A review lasts from
one to two weeks.
The Department checks hundreds of
items ranging from cash handling procedures to video surveillance to
casino giveaways of free meals.
The Department evaluates casino
minimum internal control standards and procedures.
The Department audits casino
books and records, and electronic slot accounting systems.
Administrative Services
The Department's Administrative Services Unit:
Budgets, plans,
and performs accounting functions for the Department.
Manages the
Department’s facilities, purchasing, travel, fleet, etc.
Coordinates and manages the
Department's Human Resources requirements.
Performs all of the Department's
information technology requirements, including computer and
technology functions, and maintains the Department's certification
database system.
Office of
Problem Gambling
The mission
of the Department's Office of Problem Gambling is
to provide and support problem gambling prevention,
treatment, and education programs in Arizona by:
Funding
treatment for problem gamblers and those affected by another’s
gambling problem. No one is turned away because of inability
to pay.
Providing a
24-hour, 7-day helpline for those in crisis or needing a referral to a
counselor: 1.800.NEXT STEP.
Educating the
public that compulsive gambling is a disorder and that help is
available.
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