ST. PAUL, MN -- Electronic pull-tab and bingo games were used for the first time by gamblers in Minnesota on Tuesday, Sept. 18, after the games received regulatory approval from state's Gambling Control Board. After clearing the final regulatory hurdle, the games became legal in 2,500 bars and taverns statewide, and began operating within hours in a handful of locations.
Minnesota is the first state to widely offer electronic pull-tabs for charitable causes in bars and restaurants. The new form of small-dollar gambling, based on the paper pull-tabs that charities have long sold in bars, is also intended to help pay for a $975 million Vikings stadium. Wagers are made on brightly colored, animated games that run on iPads.
Earnings potential, opportunities for increased customer traffic and splits remain unclear, said observers. As reported earlier by Vending Times, amusement operators, along with locations and charities, are currently evaluating the pros and cons of participating in this new sector. | SEE STORY
Acres 4.0, a gaming manufacturer based in Las Vegas, was approved a few months ago to supply the games and is installing pull-tab software on iPads for use in permitted establishments. The company is hoping to attract younger gamblers by developing new electronic pull-tabs tailored for all tastes.
The Gambling Control Board said nine additional manufacturers have applied to provide similar tablet-based games, and are undergoing background checks.
