Slot Machines Reject New Bills

As counterfeits and frauds evolve and adapt, so must the US currency in order to curtail the success of such criminals.  The latest generation of US ten dollar bills is adorned in a rainbow of colors in order to complicate the counterfeiting processes.  The only problem is that the new bills are not just confusing con artists; slot machines in Atlantic City are equally confounded.

Many of Atlantic City’s slot machines have not been upgraded to recognize the new tender.  According to Virginia McDowell, “The problem is extensive.”  McDowell is a Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. spokesperson.

McDowell’s statistics give a disturbing look at the under preparedness of Atlantic City slot machines.  She estimates that out of 9,300 slot machines in her casinos only 100 have received the computer upgrade allowing computers to read the new bills. 

Spokesperson Brian Cahill claims Resorts Atlantic City only needs until the end of the month to have all of their slot machines properly updated.  2,853 Resort Atlantic City slot machines, roughly one-third, need upgrades.

Not every casino in Atlantic City is experiencing trouble.  Harrah’s owns four casinos in Atlantic City, not one of their slot machines have suffered the ten dollar bill issue.  The New Jersey Casino Control Commission has already approved multiple versions of the software that reads current bills.  The agency has reported very few complaints from casinos.

Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort’s vice president of slot operations, Nicholas I. Nickolich, does not see the ten dollar bill issue as a huge deal.  Nickolich observes that most gamblers, including slot machine players prefer to use twenty or one hundred dollar bills.

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