Minnesota e-gambling launched

Our readers will recall Minnesota moves earlier this year to introduce a limited form of “on premises” e-gambling with a view to helping pay for a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium and assisting local charities.

The idea was to introduce a limited and tightly controlled form of betting on licensed premises by “lending” iPads to punters visiting the premises and allowing them to use these to place wagers.

This week the Las Vegas-based Acres 4.0 system, which is the subject of some 70 patents, was implemented without incident in several establishments.

The system is the brainchild of John Acres, a gambling industry inventor and entrepreneur, who said this week:

“It’s no secret the gaming industry must change. Our company is again leading that change. Five years ago, I recognized the gambling industry had outgrown its traditional player base and that most non-gambling consumers weren’t satisfied with traditional gambling games or experiences.”

The Acres 4.0 technology deploys a proprietary central server-based system using secured wireless, offering player entertainment and simplicity of operation, and is licensed by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. The Minnesota network is designed to operate with 25,000 electronic pull-tab terminals.

Acres is himself known for inventing numerous gambling technology products that revolutionised casino operations worldwide, including the first player-tracking system and wide-area progressive jackpots.

Acres 4.0 will distribute its new system in Minnesota exclusively through Express Games MN, Inc.