[CARD NEWS: Opinion] Is beating claw machine a reason to get arrested?
2) ‘210 dolls / 120 minutes = 34.3 seconds per doll
They managed to grab almost two dolls a minute.
2) According to the police investigation, the claw machines the men played were set to allow only one prize every 30 tries.
3) The accused men stated during the investigation that they raised the chances of a snatch by manipulating the grips in a “certain way.”
4) Three weeks has passed since the initial investigation, but the police are still in the middle of discussing whether “the certain way” they used is illegal or not.
5) It is true they deliberately used defects in the machines to sweep up the dolls.
6) On the other hand, they didn’t use any equipment or vandalize the machines. They played the machines like regular people and paid their money, but just used some special techniques on the machines’ grips.
7) The internet users who found out about the case generally criticized the store owner.
8) “I think the owner made unfair profits by rigging the machine to one-thirtieth probability. Manipulating the grips is considered knowhow?”
“The machines were rigged? I better not play claw machines.”
“I don’t understand why the consumers are to blame. I think it’s rather a problem of the owner.”
“The fraud is the owner’s.”
“The owner should be charged with manipulation.”
According to the general opinion regarding this case on internet communities, it is not the players, but the store owner to blame, as the owner rigged the machines in advance so the prizes could not be easily won.
9) The current law limits the price of a product that is put in claw machines to 5,000 won ($4.42). To pick up a single product in the rigged claw machine, however, it costs around 30,000 won, which backs up the criticism that the owner is a fraud.
10) “I spent 10,000 won in a flash playing a claw machine drunk.”
“Common people would not be able to notice the owners rigged claw machines on their own, were the incident not known.”
“Every single claw machine store must be condemned if this plot is known.”
The incident also answered many people’s doubts as to why it was so hard to nab a prize.
11) The open secret of claw machine owners rigging the machines is now out in the open.
12) “Those who are caught breaking the law will be sentenced to up to two years of prison labor or be fined up to 20 million won.”
According to the Game Rating and Administration Committee, rigging a claw machine is illegal.
13) The incident also triggered regulations on illegally operated claw machines that is planned to be implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
14) The vicious owners deceived the consumers with ridiculous chances of grabbing a prize. The owners brought this fate upon themselves, as you reap what you sow.
Directed by Lee Jeong-bong
Constructed by Kim Min-pyo
Designed by Bae Seok-yeoung
Translated by Son Min-young
Edited by James Constant
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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