Fruit Machines and payout

[kmay87]

I thought this may make an interesting read as I've never seen anything written about it before. Not strictly relevant to internet gambling, but what the heck.

-A bit of background- my family own an electrical company which deals mainly with businesses wanting electrics rewired etc.

On a visit to one 'said' nationwide pub chain (whose name I will leave blank at the moment, just out of interest to see if anyone already knows) the electricians discovered a mystery wire. We asked what it was, and the manager informed us that it was used to alter the payout of the fruit machines, and delved further to say that the payout would be vastly reduced during peak hours, in the hope that drunks would pile all their money in, win nothing (and of course not query it) and so they would make a tidy sum from it. His words, not mine.

Considering as I said earlier, it's a chain, I'd be surprised if this was the only pub in the chain to use this system. It was quite complex too - similar to the 'Itbox' which is plugged into a network, but the pubs' own network which they can use very easily.

Now although I'm a lawyer, my knowledge in this part of the law is minimal, but aside from the fact that operators will always attempt to dispute just what the '72% payout etc' actually equates to, it doesn't seem right that such a system is in use.

Hence I'm glad I don't touch fruit machines

Anyone heard anything about this?

[winbig]

Hence I'm glad I don't touch fruit machines

Anyone heard anything about this?

Hell, if I were you, I'd go to one of his stores during these "off-peak" hours and clean them out.

[Alexishot69]

Id be more than surprised if they altered payouts to less than 70% which is illegal to be honest but i do know they can alter them upwards of that %..i doubt a nationwide company would require to "cheat" punters after all 28% guranteed income from allover the country is a vast sum...

[kmay87]

The question is though, what is the payout set at during these 'off-peak hours'? I'd be surprised if it was set at more than the payout percentage displayed on the machine, so I expect between 70-80%, so what the hell must be it during peak hours

[winbig]

The question is though, what is the payout set at during these 'off-peak hours'? I'd be surprised if it was set at more than the payout percentage displayed on the machine, so I expect between 70-80%, so what the hell must be it during peak hours

Off peak? Probably < 50%

[Alexishot69]

Off peak? Probably < 50%

And if it was set less than 50% then thats not even closing down material thats porridge for the people responsible so i have grave doubts as to the credibility of the setting being less than 70% which is UK law...

[winbig]

And if it was set less than 50% then thats not even closing down material thats porridge for the people responsible so i have grave doubts as to the credibility of the setting being less than 70% which is UK law...

But is that 70% overall? If so, while being unethical, it would still be legal as long as they meet the 70% when audited.

[Alexishot69]

If a machine has just paid out 3x jacpots of £35 in succession obviously the % will go down and the chances of the next few people playing it of getting a return is minimal but the important part is that the machine will even itself out at say for eg 70% which is the minimum % payable by law...

[kmay87]

Valid points by everyone, but I'm still of the opinion that bars shouldn't be allowed, or even able, to have a device that controls payout, Maybe in private establishments, it can be understood.

The pub chain in question here is Wetherspoons. I don't see a problem in posting their name, because I can quite happily prove that at least one pub in their chain is using this, should any representatives question my comments.

I can see why they may choose to limit payouts during the said 'peak hours' but it seems more like them praying on the foolish. Moreso, why would they want to control the payouts, unless under orders of the operators, as surely this can't be profiting them.....well unless it is a nationwide scheme.

[Alexishot69]

Valid points by everyone, but I'm still of the opinion that bars shouldn't be allowed, or even able, to have a device that controls payout, Maybe in private establishments, it can be understood.

The pub chain in question here is Wetherspoons. I don't see a problem in posting their name, because I can quite happily prove that at least one pub in their chain is using this, should any representatives question my comments.

I can see why they may choose to limit payouts during the said 'peak hours' but it seems more like them praying on the foolish. Moreso, why would they want to control the payouts, unless under orders of the operators, as surely this can't be profiting them.....well unless it is a nationwide scheme.

the company that supplies machines to wetherspoons is inspired the largest uk supplier of these machines with over 90000 in the uk alone..i severely doubt that they have anything at all to gain from such a tactic although there yearly profits fell sharply in the past year due to the smoking ban in uk bars/pubs etc ..still sitting on the fence here regarding "little wires" to reduce payouts....