There are people who allegedly claim that online slots are addictive, misleading, and designed to scam you out of your money. While this denies the entire foundation of a tremendously wide and worldwide category, that’s not what Shonica Guy, a woman from Australia, seems to believe.
Let’s have a look at her case and see whether there is merit that should be given. This has actually fueled a debate related to the merits of online slots and whether or not they are, somewhat, misleading.
Online Slot Games: The Case
Now, a former gambling addict, Shonica Guy – a woman in Australia, had managed to launch landmark federal lawsuits against one of the leading national casino chains in the country. The company on the receiving end of the lawsuit is also a popular manufacturer of some of the most appreciated slot machines. The company in question is Aristocrat.
Now, the make allegation of the claimant is the fact that she was misled about her actual chances of winning the game. She argues that one particular slot game called Dolphin Treasure has a design that is particularly misleading in the sense that it makes it seems the chances of winning are much higher and that it gives all the players expectations that are unrealistic. She is claiming that these slot machines which Australians commonly refer to as “pokies” are actually breaching consumer law.
Of course, as it is expected, the manufacturer and the entire casino chain strongly deny all of the allegations, and their grounds are rather stable. The case began a month ago, on the 15th of September and it takes place in Melbourne.
The Casino giant Crown already stated that the claim will be defended vigorously on their behalf. The slot-maker, on the other hand, Aristocrat, also said that the claims are emphatically rejected. In the words of the court, the company “emphatically rejects any suggestion that its games are designed to encourage problem gambling, or in any way fail to comply with all relevant regulations and laws”.
Is there Merit to Ms. Guy’s Online Slot Games Claims?
It goes without saying that betting is a national obsession in the country. Recent research conducted by a company called H2 Gambling Capital in the UK showed that Australia is the country with the highest gambling loss per head.
The main claim of Ms. Guy is that she had lost 14 years of her life while she was playing pokies. She also claims that she won’t be looking for financial compensation from the court and her mission is to prevent other people who have the same issue from falling into this trap.
Her own words say: “For too long now, we have been told we are the only ones to blame for pokies addiction,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
“I want this case to show the machines are misleading… and designed to get us hooked.”
A Case Around the Design of Aristocrat Slots
The entire claim relies on the assumption that the design of Dolphin Treasure slot machine has a misleading design. The woman claims that the machines offer cash prizes to all the players who are actually capable of aligning matching symbols in a line through the revolving reels.
The claim is that the prospects of winning are severely over-exaggerated because an approximation of four of the reels are roughly the same size and they have 30 symbols. The fifth reel, however, has 44 symbols and it suggests that it would make the odds of winning a lot less. She also says that the slot claims an 87% return on the investment of players, which, according to her, is particularly misleading.
Obviously, this is a serious battle to be held by the lady as she is up against a giant in the field who has the necessary resources to fight the claim. However, this doesn’t, by all means, suggest that she is right. What is more, Ross Ferrar, the head of the Gaming Technologies Association, says “They’re heavily legislated and regulated, and they comply with national standards.”.
A Common Misconception
It’s obviously a matter of ethics, but you can’t expect a slot machine to be unfair because you didn’t win. Slot manufacturers and casinos are absolutely transparent in this particular regard: slot games are games of chance – you rely heavily on your luck to land a winning. The odds, however, are easily calculated for the most part. Whether or not they are favorable, is something that the player determines on his own.
That’s the beauty of betting and that’s why it’s an entire industry that has been around for thousands of years. Slots are just an extension. You know that you have a chance of winning which is equal to a certain ratio and that’s all. Whether or not this change is justified is something that each player determines on his own.
In this case, Ms. Guy knew she had to land 1 of 30 symbols on each of the 4 reels and 1 of 44 in the fifth. She made a conscious decision to place her bet and she had done so over a serious amount of time.
In any case, Aristocrat casino games which are also available here at CasinosHub, are amongst the most reliable and well-established on the market. This is something you might want to take advantage of.
