Answer
Gambling is considered the act of betting or wagering money or things of value on an event/events that have uncertain outcomes with the goal in mind of extracting something that is more valuable than that which was bet initially. Gambling requires things of value, like money, to be bet for the opportunity of winning something that is more valuable than that which was bet initially.
So are arcade games gambles? Well, it depends on the type of arcade game you’re playing. The following arcade games can effectively be viewed as gambles because they fit the definition listed above:
Which arcade games are gambles:
- The Cyclone game: This game is made up of several individually addressable LEDs and a button to push. The objective of this game is to stop the cycling of the light once it reaches the indicated (red) LED. Not to say that this game is a scam but you’re essentially betting on your ability to press the button at the correct time and hoping that you extract more value (coins or tickets) than you placed in the machine.
- Key Master game: The objective of the Sega Key Master game is to navigate a key towards a specified keyhole by stopping the automatic movement of the key via hitting a button. If the key goes in you win. It’s a gamble for the same reason listed above but also because you’re betting against the house and it doesn’t solely rely on skill.
- Claw machines: The objective of this game is for you to be able to maneuver a claw machine over a prize at the perfect spot and to be able to extract value via winning a prize.
All of these games are programmed in a way that the person who plays the game is at a disadvantage. You’re betting against the house. Really all arcade games are a gamble but the odds of being able to extract value aren’t as low as that given by the games mentioned above. Something about the games listed are off.
For instance, with the Claw machines the claws only use full strength every few dozen times it’s used. So let’s take an arbitrary number to use an example, 36. Every 36 times the claw is used it will operate at full strength. Let’s also say that you have trained for the moment to play the game every second of every day, so your skills are sharp. If that is so, even if you play 36 times you’ll likely only win one time – and win.
What makes something a gamble
Answer in more depth
All of these games are programmed in a way that the person who plays the game is at a disadvantage. You’re betting against the house. Really all arcade games are a gamble but the odds of being able to extract value aren’t as low as that given by the games mentioned above. Something about the games listed are off.
For instance, with the Claw machines the claws only use full strength every few dozen times it’s used. So let’s take an arbitrary number to use an example, 36. Every 36 times the claw is used it will operate at full strength. Let’s also say that you have trained for the moment to play the game every second of every day, so your skills are sharp. If that is so, even if you play 36 times you’ll likely only win one time – and win something that is likely less valuable than the number of dollars you put into the machine. The house wins even if you do.
The same goes for these other games, the game is made on the premise of making the house more than you do.
There are actually lawsuits for the Claw machine and Key master games out.
It’s a bad gamble if the odds of winning an amount higher than that originally bet are very low. And for the games mentioned, that’s true.
The actual definition of a gamble according to the Britannica Dictionary is,
The betting or staking of something of value, with consciousness of risk and hope of gain, on the outcome of a game, a contest, or an uncertain event whose result may be determined by chance or accident or have an unexpected result by reason of the bettors miscalculation. ‘
https://www.britannica.com/topic/gambling
All arcade games, and most things in life, are gambles. But the games mentioned above are worse, they’re bad bets.
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