A New Jersey lawmaker wants to see claw machines at arcades regulated

Anyone who has ever played the claw machine at an arcade is probably more familiar with the agony of defeat than the thrill of a big win.

Players use a joystick to control the claw, which is then dropped at the push of a button, hopefully to snatch up one of the best prizes in the machine. If it feels like every time you play it's impossible to win anything, you're not alone — critics of the games say it's easy for operators to rig them so the payouts are low, and New Jersey state Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D) recently introduced legislation calling for more oversight. "Difficult is one thing, completely rigged is another," Scutari told The Associated Press. "We just want to make sure it's a level playing field."

In New Jersey, the claw games are regulated by the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission, which oversees the amusement industry and inspects the machines to ensure they're fair. Most states consider the machines games of chance, AP says, and as long as they comply with the state's rules, they are exempt from gambling statutes. Scutari's measure calls for programing the machines so players have better odds of winning, something Edward R. McGlynn of the New Jersey Amusement Association trade organization claims is unnecessary. "Our association says the more you give away, the better it is for people, so the idea that they're rigged is wrong," he said. "If you don't give away prizes, people eventually won't want to play the game." Catherine Garcia

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