Konami slot machines pulled for subliminal messaging

While we've seen quite a few instances where shifty gamblers got the boot, this time it's the slot machines participating in a mass exodus of Canadian casinos. In another tale of misguided marketing garnering awful PR, Ontario's provincial gambling operator has "pulled 87 video slot machines out of service or physically removed them from its casinos" after an investigation found some tricky imagery hidden within. Apparently, a number of Konami slot machines flashed "winning jackpot symbols" for a fifth of a second every so often, purportedly giving players "subliminal messages" that would keep them chucking away coins for longer periods of time. Comically, Konami is asserting that the flashing images are simply a "software glitch" that will be fixed shortly, which leaves us wondering what else could be ailing these machines for the betterment of the establishment. Regardless, the Ontario-based discovery has spawned several other investigations in the US, British Columbia, and Quebec, but it has "yet to be determined" if the flashing imagery has effected the gameplay of addicts professional gamblers.

[Via Konami]

[Matt B @ Feb 27th 2007 9:44AM]

Why anyone plays on these computer slots is beyond me anyway. By removing the old style slots, they also removed all the luck out of gambling. Now you play against the computer and the computer controls the payouts.

[Rick @ Feb 27th 2007 10:11AM]

HAHAHA! Brilliant! Kudos to Konami! Damn "The Man" for squashing such a novel implementation of taboo theory. I, for one, welcome our subliminally controlling overlords...

[Dougal @ Feb 27th 2007 10:53AM]

I take it the story is via Joystiq, not Konami (as referenced) as I guess they wouldn't be publicising their own screw-ups!

[Parker @ Feb 27th 2007 10:55AM]

It's my understanding that there's no scientific evidence for subliminal messages influencing people in any tangible way. Am I right? I think people who get worked up about stuff like this are more superstitious than anything else.

[Rick @ Feb 27th 2007 11:51AM]

for what its worth, i saw this tested on Brainiac... people were sat in a theater and watched a movie, and phrases like "lick your lips", "scratch your nose", and "drink" were flashed. Oddly enough, a striking number of people did what the screen told them to do... yeah sure it could have been a coincidence, but i don't think its all that far fetched that there could be a correlation between our subconscious observations and our "unknowing" reactions thereto.

[Kev50027 @ Feb 27th 2007 1:28PM]

Correct. I'm minoring in Psychology and it's a well known fact that subliminal messaging is a myth.

[Rick @ Feb 27th 2007 12:00PM]

Doh! Wikipedia shot me down... so the results of the show were inconclusive, but i STILL stand by my previous statement!

[Castle @ Feb 27th 2007 12:02PM]

Probability-wise slots are the worst game to play, if you're dumb enough to play slots, you're dumb enough to be tricked by subliminal messages.

[LJKelley @ Feb 27th 2007 2:23PM]

A fact aye? Then why is there still more research being done. It was also a fact that the world was flat in years gone past. I think there are levels on subliminal messaging that do work. Like all the food adverts on TV make me hungry... I know I'm not hungry and just ate, but watching TV makes me hungry...

Fact is, why would they wanna prove subliminal messaging? They would want to keep it secret so they can sublininally control you...

[Kev50027 @ Feb 27th 2007 3:28PM]

Subliminal means you it's not a concious thing. Looking at or thinking about food is concious. Subliminal messaging would be if during a commercial, they flashed text saying "you are hungry" without you noticing it.

I suggest you review the definition of "subliminal"

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?db=dictionary&q=subliminal

[LJKelley @ Feb 27th 2007 4:11PM]

Again your wrong... I use a DVR and skip thru commercials so I don't consiously meditate or think about the food commercials. I just get hungry by the "flashes" of food on the screen when I skip. I don't choose to get hungry nor do I choose to watch the adverts, my mindset is to get back to the program.

The definition of Subliminal says below the concious level. Hunger is never a concious decision, (though eating is) its a message of the stomach to the brain though the brain can be fooled as in alot of stimuli & hormone messages.

[Kev50027 @ Feb 27th 2007 7:31PM]

Sorry, but again YOU are wrong. The idea of subliminal messaging is that you ARE NOT aware of exactly what the message you received said or made you do. That's why it's called subliminal. Since you stated seeing food makes you hungry, then it's obvious that when you see food on the TV, it will make you hungry, there is nothing subliminal about that, because you are aware that you are looking at food, and that it will make you hungry.

Seriously, you already lost this argument. Subliminal messaging is a hoax, and what you are talking about has nothing to do with the whole idea in the first place.

[Ron Larson @ Feb 27th 2007 5:31PM]

I don't remember where I read this. But I've read that these video slot machines are programmed to "almost" win. What they do is make sure that you often get 2 of 3. That way the player feels like they are getting "warm" since they were so close on that last pull.

[Vic @ Feb 27th 2007 6:04PM]

Matt,

You do know that non-video slots are not random (in the sense that you seem to be implying, that the wheels move randomly).

The final "result" is pre-determined by computer, and you only see if you win or lose on the reels. The casino can set the payout in all slot machines, video or otherwise. However, from game to game, it is of course still "random", in that you still play the odds set by the casino and you could still get lucky (albeit expected to lose int he long run when the odds catch up).

But you know it really doesn't matter because it's people that don't play slots that know how things work, and generally oblivious people who take slots with any seriousness. (Surely, people may play for fun once in a while).

[Admin Canada @ Feb 27th 2007 7:40PM]

Thank you for drawing this to our attention. We are continuing to follow this at http://gamblingwatchglobal.com and appreciate the heads up. If you wish to contact any of the people involved in this story, please contact us.

[Pepsiman @ Feb 28th 2007 5:39AM]

You meant to write "affected", not "effected".

[Aaron @ Mar 15th 2007 10:11AM]

Who really cares if it works or not. No matter what, each game will have someone there pulling the arm as many times as it can be pulled a day. What matters is if Konami has intentionally tried to use a technique to seduce the gambler. I hear so far that they say it is a bug. Wouldn't want to be working in QA for Konami right now.. ;-)

~AA~