Baltimore Considers Upping Poker Machine Tax

The city of Baltimore knows that video game operators are paying their customers cash prizes, even though it is illegal. With transactions made in secret and creative ways – such as passing cash winnings over to customers in the form of “change” from a transaction – the city is considering upping the tax on poker machines. These video poker machines make the city about $522 per machine from a ten percent amusement tax, but under the new approach would generate closer to $3,000 each. This approach may cut down on the total number of video poker machines operated in the city limits.