POLICING THE CASINOS INVOLVES MAZE OF RULES

Regulating Missouri's gambling industry includes a maze of regulations and laws. Compliance is monitored by the Missouri Gaming Commission, whose responsibility it is to slap the hands of offending casinos.

Recently, the commission fined and disciplined two casinos owned by the same company, Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas. Among the infractions were advertising "loosest" slot machines when, in fact, winnings at another casino were higher on a percentage basis, advertising "free money" as part of a promotion, and posting winners of a car giveaway promotion only at the casino.

While these may not seem like serious offenses, here is further evidence that the nitty-gritty of gambling is murky at best. The problem is that these offenses are the ones the gaming commission knows about and can prove. What about similar problems that never make it to the commission but affect gamblers who trust that the casinos are being operated on the up and up?

Anyone who chooses to gamble must do so knowing that the odds are still in favor on the casinos -- by a large margin -- and that there will be far more losers than winners at the end of the day.