| The slot machine was invented in 1887 by Charles | | | | machine gambling for children. These children and |
| Frey of San Fransisco. The name "slot machine" is | | | | adolescents are involved in crime, truancy, and drugs |
| used for American gaming machines. In Great Britain, | | | | and alcohol.o In Asia, casinos in Macau are responsible |
| these machines are called "fruit machines". In | | | | for a huge surge in slot machine gambling addiction. |
| Australia, the machines are known as "poker | | | | Vietnam and Singapore are planning to open casinos |
| machines" or "pokies". | | | | in 2009.o Asians have a strong propensity toward |
| The slots were used for many years as an activity | | | | gambling due to their history of not seeing gambling |
| to keep the wives of gamblers in Las Vegas busy. At | | | | as being a bad thing, but a way to make money. |
| the time, the machines only took coins, and usually | | | | These are certainly very scary statistics, and it can |
| not for very large denominations. Women stayed | | | | only get worse as slot machine gambling addiction |
| busy, usually not spending too much money, while | | | | continues to permeate our society both in the U.S |
| their husbands played black jack, roulette, and the | | | | and the rest of the world. |
| crap table. | | | | The public is very ignorant about the inner workings |
| At the time, most of this gambling was done in Las | | | | of a slot machine. People are unaware of the true |
| Vegas, Monaco, or small islands that allowed casino | | | | odds in an electronic gaming machine and they do not |
| gambling. Slots gambling was not a big part of public | | | | realize that the odds are truly stacked against them. |
| life in most parts of the country except for Las | | | | Many addicted slot machine gamblers also believe in |
| Vegas. Most of the people with gambling problems | | | | certain myths regarding slot machines. Some of these |
| were confined to the Las Vegas and surrounding | | | | debunked myths are as follows:o Contrary to beliefs, |
| areas and not many people really heard about | | | | slot machines do not stop on winning or losing stops |
| gambling addiction and its' true dangers. | | | | with equal probability.o Slot machines are not "due to |
| In 1979, gambling was passed in New Jersey, and | | | | pay" because the machine was cold for a while, and |
| Atlantic City became the Las Vegas of the east | | | | it should be ready soon to pay a jackpot.o Every slot |
| coast. In the mid to late eighties, video style poker | | | | machine spin is random, and goes through a random |
| games were developed and addiction to slots were | | | | number generator. There are much less random |
| becoming a bit more pervasive.o As of this article, | | | | numbers for jackpots than more common hands. |
| there are casinos in all states except two. Most of | | | | Therefore, winning a jackpot is highly, highly difficult.o |
| these states have allowed just slot machine gambling | | | | Contrary to myth, it does not matter if someone |
| and no access to table games.o Statistics have | | | | uses a players card or not. It does not effect the |
| shown that slots gambling is the most popular form | | | | outcome of the game.o Although some machines |
| of gambling and is responsible for approximately 70 | | | | may have a 90 percent payout, it may be weeks |
| percent of all casino revenue.o Statistics from studies | | | | before it actually pays a jackpot.o Just because the |
| done in Canada have shown that 58-62 percent of | | | | person before you pumped a lot of money into the |
| slots revenues come from gambling addicts.o 98 | | | | slot machine, it does not mean that "you" will hit the |
| percent of all gambling addicts who live in South | | | | jackpot. |
| Dakota are addicted to slots.o The military puts slots | | | | These are just some of the debunked myths about |
| on their bases, and according to the New York | | | | slot machine gambling, and there are many more. Slot |
| Times, the government has taken in more than 120 | | | | machine gambling is not just a harmless past-time |
| million dollars in slot machine revenue.o One study | | | | anymore. Addiction is a serious social problem, and |
| shows that there are 1.2 million slot machine addicts in | | | | the consequences of this type of addiction is still yet |
| the state of California.o Great Britain allows fruit | | | | to be seen. |