Changes at Casino Niagara: (1) Cashback rate almost quadruples. (2) Millionaires bar with high-stakes baccarat is closed. (3) Large holdem poker room added to lower level. (4) New sports betting parlour opened on lower level. (5) Lower level - previously 100% non-smoking now 100% smoking. (6) Upper level - previously 100% smoking - now 80% smoking. This month's mailer indicated a significant change in direction at the (old) Casino Niagara. As background, be aware thay're no longer the only game in town. In the last two years 2 new casinos have opened - the new Fallsview Casino on the Canadian side, and Seneca Niagara on the US side. Apparently the competition has been killing them. The fact that Seneca Niagara allows smoking almost everywhere may have something to do with it. The boothlings at the player's club had traditionally been very secretive about cashback and comp rates. I estimated the old cashback rate was around 0.12% - hardly worth the trip. So, it's big news when they (a) raise the rate - it's now 0.50%, and (b) publish the rate for the world to see: From the January club newletter: "Beginning Jan 2, 2006 every time you play the slots or video poker using your card ... every $20 played = 1 point ... Redeem your points - 100 points = $10" They've revamped the casino layout as follows: it still has 3 levels (it's built into the side of a hill). - lowest (street) level - formerly had a small number of machines (50 - 75) now has zero gaming - Just the Hard Rock Cafe. - lower level (previously the non-smoking casino). Baccarat room closed. Millionaires Bar closed. - about 40% of the slots were removed to make room for a humongous poker room - large open bar area installed at the base of the escalator - Video poker machines buit into bartops (LOUSY paytables) - new sports betting parlour with lots of big screen tv's - smoking now allowed everwhere on this floor. - upper level (previously 100% smoking) - moved the Player's club booth to the entrance rotunda - closed the old Niagara Bar, and built a cashier's wicket n that area - built a new high-limit slot area at the corner of the "L" - relocated the pit areas - it looks like they've added more tables - reworked the old "Marliyn's lounge" to be swankier - put a small non-smoking area in at the short end of the "L". I find it interesting that the (2 year) new Premier of Ontario, who is accelerating the timetable for banning smoking from all commercial businesses in the province, has blatantly reversed this policy when it threatens his government's pocketbook. What's good for the goose is apparently not good for the Gander in Ontario. VIDEO POKER INVENTORY - contary to a previous report, they have NOT removed all of the fullpay Pickem Poker. The (5) 50-cent Gamemakers remain. They are on the lower level overlooking the escalator/waterfall area. They were relocated (from your 2 o'clock to your 5 o'clock as you're going down the escalator). There are 3 banks of slantops here - 5 machines, 3, and about 8. Two of the 3 banks are short-pay. The bank of 5 is fullpay. The rest of the VP is still unplayable.

All the $0.50 pick'em are now the 'rip off' kind.

The two $ Pick-em Game Makers that were on the third floor are MIA. The five .50 slant tops on the second floor, are still there, but have been moved to near the cashiers windows.

I just got back from Casino Niagara ( note this is the old casino not the new Falls View Casino). The data base is correct in stating that there is full pay 50 cent ( canadian) pick'em. There are 5 gamemakers with full pay pick'em on the second level ( non- smoking floor) near the escalator. On the 3rd floor there are 40 to 50 fifty cent and 1$ pick'em with less than full pay. They're well hidden, but (2) of the $1 machines are fullpay.

There is no longer quarter pick'em at Casino Niagara. Casino Niagara removed a whole floor of games including the last 25 cent pick'em.

The lone 25 cent full pay pick'em machine on the first level is out of action. The whole first level is being renovated and all machines on the level were out of order. Who knows if it will return. The .50 cent and $1 pick'em machines are still in the Casino.

At Casino Niagara there is one full pay quarter pick'em machine on the first level of the casino. It is a Bally's Gamemaker surrounded by slot machine near the cashier cage. The first level is quite small so you shouldn't have a tough time finding it. If someone is already playing try some of the slot machines on that level. The last time there I won a 1000 quarters while waiting for the pick'em game to open up. The last time I was at Casino Niagara I couldn't find the full pay 50 cent and dollar pick'em games. There is a lot of short pay pick'em so be careful. They have a cashback system at Casino Niagara but I'm not sure how it works. The new Casino will be opening sometime in the Spring of 2004.

Casino Niagara has pick em up to $1. Cashback is $6 per 100pts. It takes me a little over 2 hrs on dollar pick em to get it. Paula gets the same bouncing around on quarter and fifty cent DB (low pay). So the amount of Cashback depends on what your playing. No food comps. No waiting for valet..$5 Coupons are bi-weekly and average around $15.

One quarter gamemaker on the first floor by the food court. It's well hidden in a small slot room by megabucks. In the back of the room against a column is the only vp machine. Second floor, non-smoking, are 5 fifty centers just in front of the down escalator. Third floor, smoking, are 2 dollar machines mixed in with several short pay ones. They're in the conservatory room, on the left as you enter. In a corner by the crap tables.

I saw a lot of .50 Cent and $1 full pay pickem machines (a lot by non-Vegas standards). They are on both the second and third floor but there are more on the smoking third floor.

I haven't been to Casino Niagara in about a year but they used to have 9/7 db and Illinois Deuces (98.9%) in the Niagara bar, and they had fp Pick-em in locations upstairs and downstairs.

I was just at Casino Niagara in August and the Video Poker - location details unknown. at the Niagara Bar have been down graded from 9/7 DB.