| Date: Sun 27-Nov-1994 Paper Page: 4A Publication: Sunday Sun Byline: Terry Ally WITH THE DEBATE on casino gambling poised to roll on, some are pointing to Government's policing of slot machines as a test case of whether the authorities can effectively police organised gaming houses. "What I want to know is why there is no provision for inspectors," asked Sheila (not her real name), a slot machine addict. Sheila, a prominent socialite whose real name would easily be recognised, said she played slot machines for years. She doesn't admit that she is addicted although she spends $300 a week "for fun" on the slots. She is however convinced that some machines are rigged. "Twenty years ago, machines paid out huge sums without the amount of money we put into them today," she said. "Last week, I went to (an) arcade and played the machines from 8 p.m. to midnight and spent $240. "I would only win when I played one coin, but when I played six I got nothing." She pointed to the legislation which she said is flawed. "When Dean Crichlow recommended that slot machines be legalised, he also recommended that an inspectorate be put in place, but it was never done." Another person whom we shall call Mary worked with a slot machine arcade for nearly ten years. She said she does not have to guess or suppose, she knows for certain that machines are rigged. She related an instance where one machine in her arcade was rigged to reduce the maximum payout. "This machine had a five bar symbol which would pay $125, but it was removed because people were winning too often. After regular customers complained about the missing bar, the boss had the technician replace it," she said. Is it possible to rig slot machines? The world's foremost authority on gambling John Scarne says yes. In his 871-page book Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling, the gambling industry consultant sets out all the known ways to rig slot machines. In modern electronic machines, the process is more complicated with a maze of circuits and wiring, but Scarne said rigging can still occur. Questioned regarding such claims, Comptroller of Customs and Chairman of the Betting and Gaming Commission, Captain Randolph Straughn said: "We've had complaints that machines were not working too well and about breakdowns. We investigated these and the operators told us it could have been because of power surges," Straughn said. |