By Gene Huntington, Administrator
The Gambling Control Division
January 2007 began the third quarter of the fiscal year for purposes of collecting video gambling machine taxes. It also began the "live" reporting of video gambling machine data for a few locations and route operators who are testing the Gambling Control Division' new database for automated reporting.
If all testing is satisfactorily completed, these locations and route operators will be able to report all taxes and carry out all video gambling machine permit activity on-line in the fourth quarter that begins in April.
In the fourth quarter, the Division will start accepting applications for locations or route operators who want to report using an approved accounting system or use the Division' web-entry system.
The Division is taking a cautious approach to make sure it has resolved any problems and isolated any bugs before the on-line services are offered to everyone.
Those who want to use the system will also find, as the Division has found, that automated systems can require changes in business practices. The database will expect to have VGM meter reports filed on the day they are due and service reports will have to be current.
For those who are willing to modify a few business practices to meet the requirements of the system, there should be significant improvements in efficiency, and a reduction in tax-reporting errors.
The most anticipated feature will be the on-line permitting that will allow machines to be permitted on-line in a matter of minutes rather than days.
For those reporting on-line there will be no requirement to continue to submit the multi-game agreements when installing multi-game machines.
Those who begin to use the system in the fourth quarter of this year (April-June) will see the licensing and permit renewal process begin to change. For those who are not on the system, the renewal process will remain basically the same except the forms will look a little different.
For locations that have route operators with approved systems, the route operator will be able to pay for vended machines permits on-line. Gambling operators will be asked to sign an authorization to allow the route operator to pay for permits at their location.
Over the next year the Division plans to do presentations around the state on how to go on-line. Locations and route operators can use one of the approved accounting systems or the Division web-entry system. The web-entry system is designed to meet the needs of the single location or the small route operator.
For locations that have a route operator as well as a few operator-owned machines, the web entry system will provide a good solution to get the entire location reporting on-line.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Feb., 2007, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.