Slot machines malfunction continues at Four Queens

Gamblers at downtown’s Four Queens continued to be frustrated Monday on the sixth day of an unexplained computer outage that affected many of the casino’s slot machines.

The state Gaming Control Board reiterated that it would have no comment on what has become an ongoing active investigation.

Four Queens representatives didn’t return calls or emails seeking an explanation.

Several machines were not printing vouchers Monday and some players, like Debbie Odum, were waiting an hour or more for staff to cash them out.

“Your voucher doesn’t work and you can’t get your money out once you win,” she said.

Odum, visiting from Maryland, said she had been sitting at her machine an hour waiting to cash out.

Meanwhile, all systems were a go at Binion’s, the Four Queens’ sister property, which also had slot machines out of service late last week.

Many of the slot machines had blue screens on Friday with “out of service” messages on them. Some of the larger screens also displayed how much was paid to the machine’s last player.

Many of the slots had “out of order” tabs over the top of their currency validators to prevent players from putting money into a malfunctioning machine.

Several bar-top slots were operating, but the machines that distribute cash payouts also were malfunctioning resulting in the cash-out delays.

While many of the slots were inactive, crowds continued to gather around the table games that were played without disruption.

Four Queens is an 18-story hotel with 690 rooms and a 27,269-square-foot casino. It has been owned by Terry Caudill’s TLC Casino Enterprises since 2003. The company also owns Binion’s, acquired in 2008. Binion’s, across Fremont Street and Casino Center Drive from Four Queens, has a 77,800-square-foot casino and in July opened 81 rooms as the boutique Apache Hotel, its historic name.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.