With summer here at last, people across the country will be looking to fill up their free time with some fun. But if your idea of a good time includes trying your hand at a claw machine, you may want to pick up a more reliable hobby. As this video shows, many claw machines are designed to ensure that players continuously lose. So beware, those who frequent arcades and boardwalk midways, the system is rigged against you!
Of course, not everybody gets to spend the summer trying to wrangle a Spongebob Squarepants plush from the bowling alley “skill crane.” For those who soon start their summer sessions, next week the Understanding Business blog will return to its regular posting schedule of around 3 articles or videos a week.
Questions:
- Should companies be allowed to rig games like claw machines without informing consumers?
- Why do regulators make clear distinctions between games of skill and games of chance?