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Keno to Operate on Satellite Sports Books

Jeff Siri of the Cal Neva told the state Gaming Control Board Wednesday that ticket writers at the sports books often sit idle. "They spend a lot of time without doing anything," he said.

He said outside the hearing that some casinos don't make any money on keno because it is labor intensive and the play is down. And they operate the keno as a "loss leader."

Siri said he thinks a profit could be made by combining the two operations.

In the last year casinos statewide reported winnings of about $84 million in keno before taxes and business expenses are deducted. The gross win is down about 9 percent from the previous year. Keno takes in less money than 21, craps, roulette, baccarat, pai gow poker, race books and sports pools. It accounts for about 3 percent of the total table game win.

Club Cal Neva, owned by Sierra Development Co, operates 17 satellite sports books. It would start a trial run at the Tamarack Junction and the Sienna, both Reno casinos.

The keno game would be controlled out of Club Cal Neva. Players at the satellite locations would see, through a closed circuit television, the keno numbers selected by a random number generator.

The sports ticket writers would be trained by the keno crew. And there would be supervisors to handle any dispute over a keno ticket.

Board member Scott Scherer said he was concerned about disputes that might arise in Las Vegas books operated by Cal Neva. He wanted assurance they would be handled promptly.

Siri said there are direct telephone lines between the books and the main casino, where there is a supervisor stationed at all hours. Cal Neva has three sports and race books in Clark County. He said the business wants to try the system in Northern Nevada before expanding to the Las Vegas area.

The control board gave preliminary approval for the application but said there must be a two-months trial period.

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