Formal Outline Format

        I.            Introduction

a.       If you or your child has ever played claw machines, then I bet you didn’t realize they might be a form of gambling.

b.      Many people believe claw machines should only be in casinos or illegal for those under twenty-one.

                                                        i.            The newer claw machines have been built with the ability to rig the player so they can’t win the prize until the payout rate.

                                                      ii.            The payout rate is a number set by the owner of the machine to only let someone win when the vendor has made enough money.

c.       To most, claw machines seem harmless but they might just be how gambling addictions start in kids.

     II.            Sub-Topic #1: If you’ve ever wondered why you didn’t win on a claw machine when it looked so perfect, then you’re not alone and there might be a reason behind it.

a.       These set payout rates make it relatively impossible for the player to win unless you get lucky.

                                                     i.            In Yoni Heisler’s article, “Video reveals how claw machines are rigged to steal your money” he stated, “claw machines have little to do with skill and, if anything, function more like slot machines than anything else.” (Heisler).

1.      Heisler is one who believes that claw machines are a form of gambling by relating them to slot machines, another form of gambling.

                                                   ii.            In Casino Tek’s video, “Why You Never Win on a Toy or Candy Claw Machine”, it is shown how the claw machine can rig a player and what it looks like when it rigs someone.

1.      Another reason Casino Tek gave to why claw machines shouldn’t be played is because they aren’t 100% skill based so even if you’re a claw machine master you won’t win unless you hit the payout rate.

b.      Because of these pay out rates many believe it makes the machines more like gambling machines.

                                                     i.            In David Schwartz article, “Gambling” he stated, “Gambling is the act of risking something of value on the outcome of an event in hopes of gain.” (Schwartz).

1.      Because gambling is risking something to try to win your target, it’s like claw machines with how the player will risk money in the hopes of winning a prize.

                                                   ii.            In epSos.de’s video, “Legal Claw Crane Gambling for Kids” it is shown that the claw machine is rigged and it dropped the prize.

1.      The author believes that claw machines should be illegal because they are not appropriate for kids.

c.       There are also other people who believe claw machines are harmless to kids but bad when gambling is illegal.

                                                     i.            In Angela Fox’s article, “The Claw” she told the story of her experience with a claw machine and how much fun it was.

1.      So basically, there are two sides of the story, how claw machines can either be gambling, or harmless fun.

                                                   ii.            In an Advisory Legal Opinion- “Crane Game Qualifies as Slot Machine” Robert Butterworth stated, “Accordingly, I am of the opinion that a coin operated crane game having an unpredictable outcome or chance which is inherent in the machine qualifies as a "slot machine"” (Butterworth).

1.      By a legal official it is said that claw machines should be seen as slot machines so if gambling was illegal so should claw machines for that area.

  III.            Sub-Topic #2: Claw machines make it seem like it’s not rigging you but most of the time it will be.

a.       They are made to make you think the prize dropped on its own when really the claw let it go.

                                                     i.            In epSos.de’s YouTube video, “Legal Claw Crane Gambling for Kids”, the camera operator showed how the claw purposely dropped the prize.

1.      You could tell that the claw was set to look like it couldn’t even pick up the prize which makes it rigged.

                                                   ii.            Yoni Heisler’s article, “Video Reveals How Claw Machines Are Rigged to Steal Your Money”, he explained how they are more rigged than fair because one of their algorithms makes the claw “mysteriously” drop the prize.

1.      This specific algorithm is proof that some claw machines can be set to be rigged.

b.      The claw machine could even be set to where it won’t even pick up the prize.

                                                     i.            In be prepared’s YouTube video, “Claw machine is gambling” they showed how a claw machine could not pick up the prize.

1.      Seeing how the claw could not even move the prize when it was perfectly around it, it was clearly rigged.

                                                   ii.            In Casino Tek’s YouTube video, “Why you never win on a toy or candy claw machine” he talked about the different ways a claw machine can be set to rig the player, including how some won’t pick up the prize.

1.      With these different ways a player can be rigged only the vendor can decide when the claw can pick a prize up.

  IV.            Sub-Topic #3: Some believe claw machines are associated with gambling, but we must determine what exactly gambling is first.

a.       Gambling is playing risky games in the hopes of usually winning money or taking a risky bet in the hopes of a desired result.

                                                     i.            In David Schwartz’s article, “Gambling” he explained how most of the time gamblers will risk money to hopefully gain more, or to gain a desired target.

                                                   ii.            This shows why some believe claw machines are gambling machines since you will pay money in hopes of winning a prize in the machine.

    V.            Conclusion

a.       There are many debates on how claw machines might be the root for some people addicted to gambling or if it’s just a harmless video game.

b.      Knowing if claw machines cause gambling addictions is important because we don’t want our future children to have gambling addictions from playing games we thought were harmless.

c.       Now it is time for you to decide which side you are on, the side where claw machines are a form of gambling, or if they’re harmless arcade games.