Wheel of Fortune Slot Machine Law Suit
Wheel of Fortune Suit for being rigged
I guess the suit says the game is deceptive since the wheel slots on the bonus game do not have an equal chance payout. Maybe the slots somewhere say wheel and other features are for entertainment purposes only. These people will also probably be unhappy when they learn the claw machine "slot" is not an actual claw machine.
Argument against: "Wheel of Fortune (the TV show) isn't a 'gambling game.' "
Rebuttal: "Wheel of Fortune wheels always have a 'Bankrupt' space on them. This is more like the 'Big Six' wheel."
Quote: heatmapthis lawyer represetning them is just rubbing his hands knowing nothing will come of this other than a sign that says the wheel doesnt represent a real wheel and the spaces are weighted
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Does it even need a sign? Wouldn't a mention in the game's online rules be sufficient?
Quote: ThatDonGuyI never assumed that the spaces each had an equal chance, but in Nevada at least, somebody may have a case under gaming regulation 14.040(5): "For gaming devices that are representative of live gambling games, the mathematical probability of a symbol or other element appearing in a game outcome must be equal to the mathematical probability of that symbol or element occurring in the live gambling game." The question is, does the wheel on a Wheel of Fortune slot fit this description?
Argument against: "Wheel of Fortune (the TV show) isn't a 'gambling game.' "
Rebuttal: "Wheel of Fortune wheels always have a 'Bankrupt' space on them. This is more like the 'Big Six' wheel."
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They have absolutely no chance based on that regulation. Pretty much every mechanical reel slot for the past 30 years would be in violation if they did. Nevada Gaming will not allow that to happen. When the Telnaes patent was issued about 35 years ago Nevada Gaming found it to be legal.
A regular slot machine doesn't have that issue because it's not trying to represent something else; it is, in itself, its own thing. A die, on the other hand, has to have a 1/6th chance per face... I feel like that regulation was taking aim at gaffed VP.
Quote: VenthusI read that regulation to mean that something that represents a commonly known gambling entity (deck of cards, dice) has to have the same odds of that actual entity.
A regular slot machine doesn't have that issue because it's not trying to represent something else; it is, in itself, its own thing. A die, on the other hand, has to have a 1/6th chance per face... I feel like that regulation was taking aim at gaffed VP.
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No, the slot machine portion itself (i.e. the reels) does not - but somebody could claim that the wheel part of it did.
But how many players get all that? A while back I saw a Gen Z-er ask his iPhone, "Hey Siri, what's 5 times 8?"
Quote: MichaelBluejayWhen I first played slots in 1998, I thought the physical reel stops were the actual stops, because, why wouldn't I think so? Pretty soon a tech opened a machine and I was able to count the stops and figure there were 22 of them, which would make the jackpot odds 1 in 223 = 1 in 10,648, which I realized would be way to short for machines that had jackpots of up to 5000 coins, so I figured that the real reel was virtual and the physical reels were just for show.
But how many players get all that? A while back I saw a Gen Z-er ask his iPhone, "Hey Siri, what's 5 times 8?"
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Quote: VenthusI read that regulation to mean that something that represents a commonly known gambling entity (deck of cards, dice) has to have the same odds of that actual entity.
A regular slot machine doesn't have that issue because it's not trying to represent something else; it is, in itself, its own thing. A die, on the other hand, has to have a 1/6th chance per face... I feel like that regulation was taking aim at gaffed VP.
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I made a slot machine about 25 years ago that had dice symbols on the reels along with other symbols. Nevada Gaming did not require each dice symbol to present at equal weights.
Quote: DRichQuote: VenthusI read that regulation to mean that something that represents a commonly known gambling entity (deck of cards, dice) has to have the same odds of that actual entity.
A regular slot machine doesn't have that issue because it's not trying to represent something else; it is, in itself, its own thing. A die, on the other hand, has to have a 1/6th chance per face... I feel like that regulation was taking aim at gaffed VP.
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I made a slot machine about 25 years ago that had dice symbols on the reels along with other symbols. Nevada Gaming did not require each dice symbol to present at equal weights.
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Were the dice meant to represent actual die rolls?
My layman's reading expects that statute would make something like Hot Roll VP or that somewhat old slot machine with the spinning die to determine bonus progression to require true odds; die faces of varying values that are just meant to represent the equivalent of Bar1, Bar2, etc. wouldn't.
Quote: VenthusQuote: DRich
I made a slot machine about 25 years ago that had dice symbols on the reels along with other symbols. Nevada Gaming did not require each dice symbol to present at equal weights.
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Were the dice meant to represent actual die rolls?
My layman's reading expects that statute would make something like Hot Roll VP or that somewhat old slot machine with the spinning die to determine bonus progression to require true odds; die faces of varying values that are just meant to represent the equivalent of Bar1, Bar2, etc. wouldn't.
No, they were not. Your interpretation is correct. I believe what started this thread was an expectation that all reel stops had to occur equally. The top box on a game like Wheel Of Fortune is just a fourth reel so there is no expectation that the stops are weighted equally. Symbols on this type of game can be weighted however the developer wants as long as it meets the probability standards set by the gaming board.
Quote: heatmapthis lawyer represetning them is just rubbing his hands knowing nothing will come of this other than a sign that says the wheel doesnt represent a real wheel and the spaces are weighted
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The article mentions a key point. All they have to do is convince a jury that the wheel is presented similar to a roulette style wheel where each wedge has an equal chance and players are deceived. And I think the prosecution can use wager saver wheels against the slot companies. One wheel is truth, one is deception.
Quote: BTLWI
The article mentions a key point. All they have to do is convince a jury that the wheel is presented similar to a roulette style wheel where each wedge has an equal chance and players are deceived.
That argument has no chance as "similar" to Roulette is not Roulette. I don't even think that would make it to jury.
Quote: BTLWIQuote: heatmapthis lawyer represetning them is just rubbing his hands knowing nothing will come of this other than a sign that says the wheel doesnt represent a real wheel and the spaces are weighted
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The article mentions a key point. All they have to do is convince a jury that the wheel is presented similar to a roulette style wheel where each wedge has an equal chance and players are deceived. And I think the prosecution can use wager saver wheels against the slot companies. One wheel is truth, one is deception.
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I distinctly remember the first time seeing someone get the Wheel bonus and assuming the wheel was like a roulette wheel (or like the actual game show wheel), but once I saw it slowed as it approached the big prize but stopped on the low prize, I immediately knew the prizes weren't equally weighted.
Quote: BTLWIQuote: heatmapthis lawyer represetning them is just rubbing his hands knowing nothing will come of this other than a sign that says the wheel doesnt represent a real wheel and the spaces are weighted
link to original post
The article mentions a key point. All they have to do is convince a jury that the wheel is presented similar to a roulette style wheel where each wedge has an equal chance and players are deceived. And I think the prosecution can use wager saver wheels against the slot companies. One wheel is truth, one is deception.
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My personal opinion of roulette wheels is that you actually do not have equal chances at each number as you only end up With one total that can occur and I have no clue how off base that is to reality
Quote: DRichQuote: BTLWI
The article mentions a key point. All they have to do is convince a jury that the wheel is presented similar to a roulette style wheel where each wedge has an equal chance and players are deceived.
That argument has no chance as "similar" to Roulette is not Roulette. I don't even think that would make it to jury.
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Right, and as a side point, it's more like a Big 6 wheel than a roulette wheel.
I definitely agree that the probabilities are not apparent, and the wheel device is for entertainment display purposes only, not determining game outcome.
