Claw Machines Suspected In Organized Crime, Police Crack Down On Games
It may seem like an odd connection, but a recent organized crime crack-down in Rio de Janeiro shut down numerous claw machines. The crane games, associated with arcades and children, are an illegal form of gambling in Brazil, making them the same as slot machines legally speaking. It’s suspected that gangs run the machines as part of larger gambling rings.
Strict Brazilian Gambling Laws
Sixteen warrants were issued for the claw machine raid, leading to the seizure of several machines. The raid occurred on August 25 and led to the seizure of laptops, cellphones, tablets, and a gun in addition to the crane games and the stuffed animal prizes inside. It’s unknown how many crane games were seized, but in a similar operation from May, 80 machines were captured.
Brazil’s strict gambling laws have made it a central part of the country’s organized crime, alongside the drug trade. While more traditional forms of gambling like slot machines and a lottery called the “animal game” are run by organized crime, it’s suspected that the claw machines are as well. That suspicion is why Brazilian authorities have been performing raids designed to shut down crane games.
Rise Of Organized Crime In Rio De Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro has become known for the prevalence of street crime, government corruption, and the influence of drug cartels. Brazilian authorities are addressing that crime problem wherever they can, which includes the claw machine crackdown. While the games played for stuffed animals may only be a small part of the criminal underworld, shutting them down could remove one line of income for criminal organizations.
Claw Machines Are Gambling
It may sound a bit odd to classify claw machines as gambling, but it’s a logical conclusion, given how the games are programmed. The games in Rio de Janeiro are programmed to only allow players to win a set percentage of the time, which is exactly how slot machines work. This programming is a common practice for crane games around the world.
Exempt Form U.S. Gambling Laws
While claw machines are classified as games of chance in the United States, they are exempt from federal gambling laws. The federal government may not regulate the games, but many states have rules dictating how the games are programmed and where they can be present. Despite these rules, it should be assumed that any game is set to only pay out at predetermined increments, as it’s permitted in most states.
Taking Money From The Whole Family
The fact that claw machines are games of chance generally meant to be played by children sets them apart from more adult-oriented gambling, which has made them a surprisingly contentious subject around the world. Brazil isn’t the only country to ban the games, with Thailand also outlawing them and several other countries heavily regulating them. They were also frequently cited as an example during the discussion around loot boxes in video games in the 2010s.
Claw machines are a source of nostalgia and whimsy for many people, but they’re also undeniably gambling machines. The raids in Brazil may seem odd to American readers, but the games have a much darker side in Rio de Janeiro, where they may be connected to serious crime rings.
Source: SAN
