§ 461b.2. Slot machine tower lights and error conditions.
(a) Unless otherwise authorized by the Board, each slot machine must have a tower light located on top of the slot machine cabinet. The tower light must be used to identify the slot machine’s default denomination and the operational status of the slot machine and any device connected thereto that may affect the operation of the slot machine. The slot machine tower light must be visible to the player of the slot machine and to the surveillance department from all sides of the slot machine cabinet, unless the slot machine cabinet is against a wall or is in another location approved by the Board that results in the partial obstruction of the tower light.
(b) A slot machine tower light must consist of two separate lights, one on top of the other, that function in accordance with this section.
(1) At any point in time, each of the two lights may be in one of five states as follows:
(i) ‘‘Off’’ means the light is off.
(ii) ‘‘On’’ means the light is on continually.
(iii) ‘‘Slow flash’’ means the light is flashing regularly at a 500 millisecond interval.
(iv) ‘‘Medium flash’’ means the light is flashing regularly at a 250 millisecond interval.
(v) ‘‘Fast flash’’ means the light is flashing regularly at a 125 millisecond interval.
(2) The top light of the two lights must be white. The color of the bottom light must indicate the default denomination of the slot machine to which it is attached:
(i) Red means a dime denomination slot machine or any denomination below a dime.
(ii) Yellow means a quarter denomination slot machine.
(iii) Orange means a half-dollar denomination slot machine.
(iv) Blue means $1 denomination slot machine.
(v) Pink means a $2 denomination slot machine.
(vi) Green means a $5 denomination slot machine.
(vii) Purple means a $10 or higher denomination slot machine.
(3) A slot machine licensee may, with the approval of the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations, utilize an alternative color scheme for the bottom light of the slot machine tower light in paragraph (2). The alternative color scheme may include:
(i) Assignment of a unique color to identify any single denomination or combination of denominations of slot machines in paragraph (2)(i) provided that the 5¢ denomination or any combination that includes the 5¢ denomination will always be the color red.
(ii) Assignment of a unique color to identify any single denomination or combination of denominations of slot machines in paragraph (2)(vii) provided that the $100 denomination or any combination that includes the $100 denomination will always be the color purple.
(iii) Assignment of the color yellow to identify all 25¢ and 50¢ denomination slot machines.
(iv) Assignment of the color blue to identify combinations of all $1 and $2 denomination slot machines or all $1 to $5 denomination slot machines.
(c) For the purposes of this subsection, there shall be three separate methods by which a slot machine is placed in an unplayable state.
(1) ‘‘Administrative mode’’ means that a member of the slot operations department has placed the slot machine in an unplayable state to access the set up or recall functions of the slot machine.
(2) ‘‘Disabled mode’’ means that a member of the slot operations department or the slot machine licensee’s slot monitoring system has placed the slot machine in an unplayable state for any reason other than those included in administrative mode.
(3) ‘‘Tilt mode’’ means that the slot machine placed itself in an unplayable state due to malfunction or error condition and the slot machine cannot be returned to a playable state without intervention by a member of the slot operations department.
(d) Each of the following combinations of light states must be displayed by a slot machine tower light to indicate the corresponding slot machine operating condition:
(1) White light off with colored light:
(i) Off means that the slot machine is idle and the slot machine door is closed.
(ii) Medium flash means the slot machine is idle and the slot machine door is open.
(iii) Fast flash means the slot machine is idle and the drop compartment door is open.
(2) White light on with colored light:
(i) Off means a patron is requesting change and the slot machine door is closed.
(ii) On means that the slot machine is in disabled mode.
(iii) Medium flash means either:
(A) A patron is requesting change and the slot machine door is open.
(B) The slot machine is in disabled mode and the slot machine door is open.
(iv) Fast flash means the slot machine is in disabled mode and the drop compartment door is open.
(3) White light slow flash with colored light:
(i) Off means that the slot machine is in tilt mode and the slot machine door is closed.
(ii) Slow flash means either:
(A) The slot machine is displaying a hand-paid jackpot combination and the slot machine door is closed.
(B) The slot machine is displaying a hand-paid jackpot combination while in tilt mode and the slot machine door is closed.
(iii) Medium flash means either:
(A) The slot machine is displaying a hand-paid jackpot combination and the slot machine door is open.
(B) The slot machine is in tilt mode and the slot machine door is open.
(iv) Fast flash means the slot machine is in tilt mode and the drop compartment door is open.
(4) White light fast flash with colored light:
(i) Off means the slot machine is in administrative mode and the slot machine door is closed.
(ii) Medium flash means the slot machine is in administrative mode and the slot machine door is open.
(iii) Fast flash means the slot machine is in administrative mode and the drop compartment door is open.
(e) Any combination of light states capable of display by a slot machine tower light that is not assigned a particular slot machine operating condition by subsection (d) may be used by the slot machine licensee for its own internal signals. However, the slot machine licensee shall be required to conform the light states displayed by its slot machine tower lights to any amendments or modifications in the Board’s approved technical standards.
(f) A slot machine must detect, display by means of a tower light or other device and the slot machine must communicate to a slot monitoring system the error conditions in paragraphs (1)—(3) in both idle state and during game play. These error conditions may be automatically cleared by the slot machine upon completion of a new play sequence.
(1) Power reset.
(2) Door open.
(3) Door just closed.
(g) A slot machine must detect, display by means of tower light or other device and the slot machine must communicate to a slot monitoring system the error conditions in paragraphs (1)—(8) in both idle state and during game play. These error conditions must disable the slot machine and prevent game play and may only be cleared by a slot attendant.
(1) Low RAM battery.
(2) Printer failure.
(3) Printer mechanism paper jam. A paper jam condition must be monitored at all times during the print process.
(4) Presentation error.
(5) Program error or defective program storage media.
(6) Reel spin error of any type. The specific reel number must be identified. If a tilt occurs while the reels are spinning, the slot machine must spin the reels at a slow speed.
(7) Removal of control program storage media.
(8) Uncorrectable RAM error, either RAM defective or corrupted.
(h) A slot machine must detect, display by means of tower light or other device and the slot machine must communicate to a slot monitoring system the error conditions in paragraphs (1) and (2) in both idle state and during game play. These error conditions need not disable the slot machine and game play may continue if an alternative method is available to complete the transaction or the condition does not prohibit the transaction from being completed. These error conditions may only be cleared by a slot attendant.
(1) Printer mechanism paper level is low.
(2) Printer mechanism out of paper.
(i) A description of the slot machine error code corresponding to each error condition must be affixed inside each slot machine unless the displayed slot machine error code is self-explanatory.
(j) The Board may waive one or more of the technical standards applicable to tower lights and error conditions adopted by the Board upon a determination that the nonconforming communication methodology nonetheless meets the operational integrity requirements of the act, this part and technical standards adopted by the Board.
Source The provisions of this § 461b.2 amended January 21, 2009, effective January 21, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 685. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (338655) to (338656).
Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 461a.7 (relating to slot machine minimum design standards).
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