The government is currently exploring the possibility of installing high tech monitors on poker machines to ensure that the operators are paying the right amount of taxes. Deleon Guerrero R-Saioan and chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism, said that a US based company had made a
presentation earlier in the week.

“This company specializes in monitoring the gaming industry including poker machines. They can conduct monitoring on individual machines in real time", said Guerrero.

He also said that some of the poker operators have been under reporting their income to pay less taxes. “We should have adopted this system a long time ago,” he said. “It’s high-tech and probably high-priced but if it’s put in place nobody can deceive the government in terms of tax collections. I think we have to look at it and see if we can afford it.”

The government records show that there are 1,414 licensed poker machines throughout the CNMI in 2006. More then 1,000 machines are on Saipan and another 82 on Rota. The government generates close to 9 million in licensing the machines. There are also taxes that are levied on winnings and other fees.



- 2008-02-24