Automated reporting for VGMs means change coming
Pub Date: 11/1/2006
By Gene Huntington, Administrator
The Gambling Control Division
The Gambling Control Division of the Montana Department of Justice and the Liquor Division of the Department of Revenue have successfully converted a large part of their databases to the new GenTax database.
At the end of September all information concerning gambling and liquor licensees and permitted gambling machines was transported from the old database to GenTax.
This is a huge first step in developing a system that will allow gambling operators to obtain permits and file tax reports online.
Having all of this information moved is the key to beginning the next phase of the database project, which is completing the tax component of the system. The tax portion of the system is known as Rollout Three and is scheduled to be completed in early December.
Testing of tax reporting with a limited number of route operators and taverns is continuing. If all projects and plans remain on schedule, a test group of operators will be able to utilize the online services for the quarter beginning January 1, 2007.
Gambling operators and manufacturers will be receiving a lot of information in the next few weeks as the Division moves to the e-business environment. Here are the major changes that operators can expect to see before the end of the calendar year:
¢ All gambling machines will be given a unique identification number (VGMID) that will stay with the machine for life.
¢ All operators and route operators will have been sent their new VGMID numbers.
¢ Annual permits on video gambling machines will be replaced with permanent decals over the next few months.
¢ Instead of permit decals, operators making a change in their video gambling machines will receive a new license listing all of their permitted machines.
¢ Operators will be able to authorize their route operator to apply for permits on their behalf.
¢ Manufacturers will apply the permanent decals to new machines before the machines are sold.
If you have not received a letter providing you with new VGMID numbers or have questions about the numbers, please give us a call at 444-1971.
The Division has received the first application for an Accounting System Vendor. As the vendors and their accounting systems are approved, the Division will be ready to receive applications from operators and route operators to utilize the approved systems or the Division s website.
The rules related to applying and utilizing an approved accounting and reporting system have been published and are currently being circulated for comment.
Only those operators and route operators who have approved systems or use the Division s web-entry system will be able to access the online permitting and tax reporting services.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Nov., 2006, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.