resetting slot machines after big payout and during promotions

[linaka]

I have noticed that after a big payout from a slot machine that the slot attendant will ask the player to step aside from the machine and the attendant will reset or reprogram the machine. What are they doing and why is it necessary?

Also, I have been told that when there are "drawings" or other promotions that the slot machines are reprogrammed to pay out less to offset the cost of the promotion. Is this true?

[Matt Bourie]

Re: resetting slot machines after big payout and during promotions

The reason slot techs have to open up slot machines and "reprogram" the machine as you called it is because when any jackpot is hit for $1200 or more, the machine locks up and requires a hand pay. This is because the player who hit it has to be given a W-2G because they are obligated to claim it as income on their taxes at the end of the year. The slot tech is simply unlocking the machine so it can be played again.

[Matt Bourie]

Re: resetting slot machines after big payout and during promotions

As for your other question: With the exception of a very few casinos, each slot machine comes equipped with its own RNG, or random number generator, which controls the results and payouts of that slot machine.

When the casino buys the slot machine from the manufacturer they can choose what they want the payback to be which is generally based on the denomination of the machine (penny slots payback less and dollar or higher machines payback more). If they want to change the payback of the machine they have to physically open up the machine take out the RNG and replace it with a new one which is no easy task and in most states can only be done in the presence of a member of the gaming control board.

HOWEVER, there is a slight exception to this. There is a VERY small number of casinos in the country that use a new technology called Server Based Gaming where either all the machines in the casino or certain banks of machines are controlled by a centrally located computer. Generally this is just used to change titles on the machines for example if the casino knows that they get a lot of video poker players on a Tuesday night they can change a bank of slot machines to video poker machines or vice versa.

This does also give the casino the option to change the payback on machines more easily but the state gaming control boards made laws to help safeguard players so that a casino couldn't just go and change the payback on a machine while a player is on it. Nevada is a good example, in order for a casino to change the payback on a machine, I believe it has to have been idle for at least 5 minutes, then it must display a message saying the payback will be changed for 5 minutes then after that it must display a message saying the payback has been changed for another 5 minutes. (I've always heard that was the law, I have an email out to double check that fact and will update this post if I am incorrect)

Hopefully this answered your question and didn't raise even more questions lol.

[Matt Bourie]

Re: resetting slot machines after big payout and during promotions

Ok, so I fact checked this and was almost right. On server based gaming machines, the screen must display for 4 minutes that it is going to change and for another 4 minutes that it has changed so it only has to be idle for a total of 8 minutes.

Also, it just has to say that something is being changed, it doesn't have to specify what it is that is changing. It could be an increase or decrease in the payback percentage, it could be the game theme is being changed, it could be games are being added or deleted from a multigame machine.