Crown Casino is one of the largest and most popular casinos in Australia. However, it is now facing a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by a gambler named Shonica Guy, has affected both the Melbourne casino and Aristocrat, a pokie manufacturer. The gambler says that the games are deceptive.
Ms. Guy has complaints against Dolphin Treasure, an Aristocrat favourite. A Pokie addict for 14 years, Ms. Guy says she wants Dolphin Treasure altered. It is among the top games offered at the Australian casinos. Alliance for Gambling Reform, the newly set up gambling behemoth, has termed the case as “David versus Goliaths.” Tom Costello, Alliance’s chief crusader said Pokies can’t be allowed to run away with monetary wins these days.
Aristocrat Pokie Charged with “Uneven” Symbols
Aristocrat’s pokies has been common in Aussie casinos as well as pubs for years. The 5 reel game, played in the video poker machine, comes with 30 symbols on every reel.
Players are allowed to put bet on 20 different paylines and can win prizes by lining up several 9-to-Ace card symbol along with images of seahorses, octopuses, and fish. The game also comes with a bonus round, which gets triggered by getting three bonus “Scatters” anywhere. The Pokies players may win up to a maximum of 15 free spins along with a multiplier amounting to three times of their total win.
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Every pokie gets an RTP, which is programmed into the game. The player’s return can be deemed as a long-term theoretical payout based on specific amount put in by him or her. So, an RTP worth 97 percent would denote $97 will be paid out for each $100 paid in. However, the one-off jackpots and long losing streaks are not taken into account.
Ms. Guy’s view is that the payouts meant for lining up the winning symbols used in Dolphin Treasure are really out of synch with real odds of hitting the winners. The legal challenge will now resort to analysis into the game with the help of the Monash University experts. The aim is to find out if the pokie misleads its players about the frequency of when they can win.
Ms. Guy has played this game for many years, at lunch breaks as well. She said the pokie machines are actually rigged and trick players with the design features. This makes players think they stand a fair chance of winning the game.
Pokies Case Could prove to be a Game Changer
It is unclear as to how much she has lost or won over the years. But if the case is accepted in a court, it will eventually shake the industry worth billions of dollars. Australia makes headlines for pokie machine game revenues and gaming lobbyists have a huge influence on lawmakers.
The legal nature of pokies or the manner in which they are programmed are not being questioned here. However, if it is proved that Australia’s popular and giant gambling machine manufacturer actually resorted to malpractice, the scandal would be too big. Maurice Blackburn’s Jacob Varghese said on behalf of the complainant that it is reasonable for a gamer to think that each reel comes with an even distribution of symbols. Varghese also said the machines should be made to deal in a fair way so that there is transparency in the process, which is clearly lacking.
