Pragmatic Play described the 5-reel 3-row title with 10-paylines as a highly volatile slot with a 96.71% RTP. The title challenges players to search for the Queen’s treasure that is hidden within the mysterious temples all while a dangerous storm is impending upon the reels. The makers claim the title offers an additional selection of ancient Egyptian artifacts that double up as the game’s high-paying symbols.

What’s New in Eye of the Storm?

The Eye of Ra, for instance, has the potential to amplify the stake by x50. Pragmatic Play’s Chief Business Development Officer Yossi Barzely used the official press release to state that Eye of the Storm packs a ton of bonus features including expanding Wilds. Punters landing a Cleopatra Wild symbol can trigger a massive win.

The game also packs a re-triggerable free spins bonus round for players lucky enough to gather at least three pyramid-themed scatters on the reels in a single round. Barzely’s official statement reads, “Eye of the Storm is another fantastic addition to Pragmatic Play’s eclectic portfolio. We’re happy to partner with the Reel Kingdom for our latest venture. The title offers alluring gameplay with a ton of novel features, which brings something new to our premium line of video slots. We expect Eye of the Storm to be massively popular with the patrons”.

Eye of the Storm: Bonus Features

Eye of the Storm is Pragmatic Play’s second attempt at recreating the magic of Eye of Horus, and the makes have been fairly successful. The Wild Cleopatra symbol appears across the reels whenever it lands. However, players will only benefit from the expanding wilds feature if it lands on the three middle reels. The Wild symbol can appear during both the base and the bonus rounds.

Landing 3 pyramid scatter symbols trigger the free spins round. Players get 12 free spins and x2, x20, and x50 rewards from 3, 4, and 5 scatter respectively. The six premium symbols in-game are the Upgrade Tablets. The bonus round appears with six levels and players proceed through the ranks by landing the Wild icons.

The symbol upgrade feature continues working progressively until level 6. The rewards are:

• Level 1 – Plays out like the base game
• Level 2 – Fan symbols are replaced with ankh crosses
• Level 3 – Ankh crosses are replaced by scarab beetles
• Level 4 – Scarab beetles are replaced by falcons
• Level 5 – Falcon symbols are replaced by leopards
• Level 6 – Leopards are replaced by the Eye of Horus symbol

If casino games are not your thing, you can check the sports betting sites listed on our page.

2020 also marks the beginning of legalized online sports betting in Indiana. The state posted over $46,516,489 in mobile wagers during the period as the maximum amount arrived from DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel.

What the Experts Say

Keeping up with the trend, Bowen Center Therapist James Wright revealed a stark increase in the number of people seeking help with gambling addiction ever since the beginning of 2020. According to the American Addiction Center, addiction is “the need to continuously engage in an activity or behavior despite being aware of the negative impacts on one’s mental or physical wellbeing, functioning at home or within the community”.

“The problem lies with the illusion that the next ticket will help them strike the jackpot. This is distorted thinking and what drives people into making irrational decisions. Everybody wants to get rich quickly. This is a major motivation behind punters going overboard with their bets, and the trend is more commonly seen among sports bettors. It’s important to abstain from such behavior and sit down with your spouse, children, or partner and fix a budget for gambling,” Wright explained.

“This isn’t a novel scenario. In any kind of situation where the outcome can be similar, you must practice necessary caution and some sort of restraint. However, this is easier said than done and most people end up making the same mistakes”, added Kyle Richardson, an Analyst working for The Fantasy Headliners, a sports betting analytics channel on YouTube that helps gamblers or anyone associated with sports. Richardson also works with mobile sports betting websites through his channel.

“It doesn’t surprise me that Indiana was targeted. The market is ideal for new investors and that is precisely what’s happening right now. I saw quite a few billboards go up, a lot of shows promoting sports betting. It’s a marketplace, and every player is looking to take a bite out of the pie”, Richardson added.

The Road Ahead

If you’ve been watching sports lately you must have come across a large volume of sports betting adverts. Wright says while this is an effective marketing strategy, it accelerates gambling addiction, especially among the newbies. Therefore, first-timers must exercise extreme caution before signing up.

Wright also believes there is a correct way to ease into gambling without turning into an addict. And the best option is to set a budget for yourself. Indiana lends a helping hand to Hoosiers seeking help with gambling addiction. For more information, visit https://www.in.gov/igc/problemgamblinghelp/2332.htm.

Richardson, however, extends his support to sports betting as he believes the activity offers people respite from grim realities. Richardson also added that the apps take sufficient measures to curb addiction. For instance, DraftKings has a Responsible Gambling section in its app to help recovering addicts, while there is a cool-off feature that restricts gambling for a pre-specified duration along with Patron Protection.

Senate Bill 417 proposes to allow the 14 brick-and-mortar casinos and racinos in the state to offer online gambling and poker services. Interested operators would have to apply for a new license. The announcement arrives right on the heels of the Indiana Gaming Commission releasing the results for December.

According to the published information, sportsbooks in Indiana posted a record $313 million in handles, shattering the previous record that stood at $251 million. “A lot went in favor of sportsbooks this Fall, and the result was evident during December,” stated Jessica Welman, sports betting analyst.

“Indiana Football, Notre Dame, and the Indianapolis Colts continued to keep the punters hooked and the wagers flowing. This followed a whole month of college basketball, which is significantly more important in Indiana compared to most other states. The start of the NBA season further fueled the rush”, Welman added.

How Sportsbetting is the Key to Indiana’s Revenue Troubles

Welman claims that sports betting generated over $2.3 million in tax revenue in December, while Indiana’s online and retail sportsbooks generated $13.2 million in total. Sportsbooks in Indiana have generated over $2.2 billion since the state legalized sports betting back in October 2019.

“2020 was an incredible year for sports betting in Indiana as sportsbooks continued breaking previous records month over month. Mobile betting played a key role in the success story and will continue to play a crucial part in 2021. We believe the demand will grow by 90% before the end of the year”, said Max Bichsel, the Group Vice President for the US Wing at Gambling.com.

Gaming Revenue in Indiana vs. the Other States

Although the amount raked in by sportsbooks is considerably huge, analysts believe the numbers are dwarfed when compared to online casino games in states where it’s legal. “Larger sums are bet every month, and the wins are more predictable with far fewer fluctuations between months. For a state like Indiana, such a dependable revenue stream is attractive without a doubt”, said Dustin Gouker, an analyst for PlayIndiana.

State Senator Susan Glick also introduced a bill this week allowing bets on video gaming terminals. This is a second Bill completely unrelated to the one introduced by Ford. Previous reports suggest Ford was reluctant to introduce online poker in his first draft of the Bill. But his colleagues and industry experts later coxed him into including the mobile gaming bit.

“They did not think that it would be as huge a deal as I had initially thought. But we’ll see what happens in the end. I’ve taken an approach that allows me to remove the proposition if things take any sudden or unexpected turns,” Senator Ford explained. Ford hopes a hearing committee will discuss the Bill this week, and he believes online betting could generate between $65 and $80 million in taxes every year.

The group of protesting tribal members includes a former principal chief and two sitting tribal council members. According to the claims made by the trio, the meeting on December 17 was in gross violation of the tribe’s Charter and Governing Document, which is its highest law, at par with the U.S. Constitution.

Analyzing the Story So Far

The protestors, in particular, point to Section 16 in the Charter, which states that the “Tribal Council shall direct the control and management of all tribal properties, real, personal, or belonging to the tribe” and “no person shall be entitled to enjoy the money that belongs to the tribe unless such a person is an enrolled member of the tribe. And in such cases too, the money, derived from any source whatsoever, shall be distributed per capita among the entitled members”.

The protestors believe the arrangement with Caesars is in violation of the law as profits from the venture will not boost the per capita income. Furthermore, the LLC is in charge of overseeing the gambling venture, as opposed to the Tribal Council and the EBCI.

At the moment, just two members out of five must be members of the EBCI, and although the tribe reserves the right to make the initial appointments, all future selections will be made by the sitting members. And while the EBCI retains 100% control over the venture, the LLC is in charge of overseeing daily proceedings.

What are the Protests All About?

The protestors have further claimed that the special meeting on December 17 violated Section 10 of the charter, calling it an unauthorized session of the Tribal Council. “The purchase of a business does not fall under the defined boundaries of the law,” the protestors claim.

Furthermore, the purchase violates tribal laws mandating how the casino proceeds can be spent. According to Section 16-C of the Cherokee Code, half of the casino revenues must be spent on improving the per capita income of the members. In contrast, the second half must be spent on supporting the Tribal government’s enterprises and operations while providing for the general welfare of the tribe and its members.

Caesars Southern Indiana is up for sale since the firm’s merger with Eldorado Resorts created the nation’s largest casino and entertainment company in violation of the market share laws in certain states. Therefore, the management had to sell off a few properties in some states, including Indiana, to stay within the purview of the law.

The council voted to approve the spending plans on Thursday, as posted on the Cherokee One Feather, the tribe’s official mouthpiece. The publication, however, did not post the information on its website. The Smoky Mountain News also noted it was a closed-door vote but did not reveal the final tally.

According to the discussions held on December 15, the members had until December 21 to arrive at a conclusion with Caesars Entertainment on the deal. The EBCI secured a 45-day negotiating window back in November after submitting the top bid out of 20 other entries. The tribe earlier approved the creation of a limited liability company to purchase and operate the commercial casino.

Tribal Commission Approves Funding

EBCI Principal Chief Richard Sneed previously declined to comment on the acquisition plans. Caesars Entertainment remains silent on the issue too. As per the original plan, the EBCI would invest $120 million from the tribal fund and borrow $160 million to purchase Caesars Southern Indiana.

The council previously approved funding. However, post the December 15 meeting, some of the members raised concerns about using five tribal funds. Key points from the meeting include spending from a sinking fund set aside for debt repayment and an endowment fund that Council Member Chelsea Saunooke wasn’t too convinced about.

According to Saunooke, “The fund is set up to secure the tribe’s future, and it needs to be double that of the tribe’s operational budget at all times. I’m not too comfortable with an operational budget of a certain amount, and we barely have 18% of endowment”.

The agreement was later amended, and the changelog read, “The tribe is dedicated to identifying the most advantageous funding mechanism to raise the remaining equity”. The commission also failed to disclose the final voting numbers.

Why Caesars Entertainment Must Let Go of Southern Indiana

Caesars Entertainment’s recent merger with Eldorado Resorts required the firm to sell three of its five casinos to comply with the Indiana Gaming Commission’s adjusted gross revenue. Caesars announced the sale of Tropicana Evansville to Twin River Worldwide Holdings in October and the property is currently known as Bally’s.

Caesars received a deadline extension until December 31, 2020, to sell Horseshow Hammond back in November from the IGC. However, that does not apply to Caesars Southern Indiana. The commission must also approve the sale. In the meantime, Vici Properties, a publicly-traded gambling investment holdings company, continues to own the property.

The sale arrives within a year of Caesars investing $90 million to move the property from an anchored riverboat to 80,000 sqft on land. It remains to be seen if Caesars continue to manage the property or the tribe partners with a second firm.

According to a report by the Indiana Gaming Commission, casinos in the state posted $64.53 million in November, a decline of 12.6% from $73.87 million posted during November 2019. All five casinos recorded a steady drop in revenue, and the figures ranged from 4.6% at Horseshoe Hammond to 34.6% at Michigan’s Blue Chip Casino.

The year-on-year revenue at Majestic Star I declined by 14.6%, while Majestic II posted a 22% drop. Ameristar in East Chicago faired a little better with an 8.5% slide. Steve Cox, the Vice President of Finance at Horseshoe Hammond, said the region-wide revenue during November was uniform throughout the state, and the figures dropped by an average of 13.1% compared to October 2020.

Cox said he has no clue whether the November 19 order issued by the Illinois government had any significant effect on Indiana’s gambling industry. “We haven’t conducted a survey on where our patrons come from”, Cox commented on the topic.

Shannon McKeller, Hammond’s Vice President for Marketing, said the casino shut its bus service to and from various locations in Chicago in the wake of the pandemic back in March, and the service is yet to resume.

What the Numbers Look Like

According to IGC’s report, Blue Chip raked in $8.32 million in November 2020 compared to $12.72 million in November 2019. Ameristar posted $16.5 million compared to $18.03 million last year. Horseshoe Hammond generated $30.56 million compared to $32.03 million in the previous year. At the same time, Majestic Star I and II generated $5.81 million and $3.34 million, respectively, compared to $6.08 million and $4.29 million in November 2019.

Cox further claimed retail business at the Horseshoe Hammond suffered from The Venue shutting down earlier this year. “The Venue accommodates close to 2,500 people. It’s hard not to see those people come in here”, Cox added.

Looking ahead, McKeller is confident of the market improving in the wake of the holiday season, even though celebrations are projected to be a low-key affair. The silver lining is sportsbooks in Northwest Indiana posted a 4.4% increase in revenue as mobile operators went online. Cox stated, “a large portion of punters have a smartphone and prefer placing online wagers”.

Tribal Council Delays Indiana Casino Decision

In related news, the Tribal Council voted 10-1 to arrive at a resolution allowing the tribes to carry on with a $290 million acquisition of Caesar’s casino in Southern Indiana. The property is up for sale following the July merger between Caesars Entertainment and Eldorado Resorts.

The merger laid the foundation for the nation’s largest entertainment business and casino, which unfortunately put the entity afoul of antitrust laws in certain states. Thus, prompting the management to put up a few properties for sale in select markets. The Tribal Council plans to address the public in the next few weeks before arriving at a conclusion.

This was the first time since 1965 that no casinos were operating in Indiana. The massive loss suffered during one of the prime seasons will take a few years to recuperate. Even as land-based casinos in the state reopened in June, social distancing norms forced the operators to run at limited capacity.

Adjusting to the New Normal

The gaming floor had to be rearranged according to the new regulations set by the state, which drastically curtailed the number of slot machines, tables, poker rooms, and restaurant hours. Moreover, the casinos were asked not to host or promote events and tournaments that would draw a large number of punters.

The Indiana Gaming Commission also mandated casino workers and patrons to get a body temperature check along with answering a health screening questionnaire before walking into an establishment. Wearing a mask and other face-coverings are a must unless seated at the restaurant or enjoying a drink. However, punters must maintain a safe distance from others during such activities.

Surging COVID-19 cases in the state between October and November means that these restrictions will be in place well into 2021. Even though hopes of a vaccine is around the corner, it’s too early to predict its viability in the coming months.

How Indiana Plans to Cope with Diminishing Tax Revenue

In September, the revenue from the state’s casinos after paying the winning bet was $170 million, just $8 million down from September 2019. Indiana’s sports betting handles have also posted strong figures in the past couple of months, crossing the $200 million mark for the first time this year in September. The figures began rising as most of the major league competitions resumed after a brief period of dormancy due to COVID-19.

While the situation is hopeful of recovering soon, there is no getting back the $575 million lost during the lockdown this year. Governor Eric Holcomb said despite the tax revenue loss, Indiana will bounce back on its feet soon. He also announced a relief package from the state’s $2 billion reserve fund.

“As Indiana works to inhibit the impact of COVID-19, I’m grateful for the years of service that allowed our state to be financially prepared to tackle this storm. We are as dedicated as ever to ensure that our citizens continue to receive uninterrupted services without jeopardizing Indiana’s annual responsibilities while adjusting to the new normal” Governor Holcomb added.

On the other hand, the local government leaders with limited funds to allocate during the pandemic immediately instructed the infrastructure projects and all other municipal spendings to be stopped as the revenue from casino taxes slowly dried up.