Australia's Gambling Industries - Productivity Commission
Australia's Gambling Industries - Productivity Commission Australia's Gambling Industries - Productivity Commission
Table U.3 Credits\ lines Expected hourly losses on Cash Chameleon a Results for different playing styles 1 credit per line 5 credits per line 10 credits per line 20 credits per line 25 credits per line Player return=92.13% $ $ $ $ $ 1 line 1.13 5.67 11.33 22.67 28.33 5 lines 5.67 28.33 56.66 113.33 141.66 10 lines 11.33 56.66 113.33 226.66 283.32 15 lines 17.00 85.00 169.99 339.98 424.98 20 lines 22.67 113.33 226.66 453.31 566.64 Player return = 87.78% 1 line 1.76 8.80 17.60 35.19 43.99 5 lines 8.80 43.99 87.98 175.97 219.96 10 lines 17.60 87.98 175.97 351.94 439.92 15 lines 26.40 131.98 263.95 527.90 659.88 20 lines 35.19 175.97 351.94 703.87 879.84 Player return = 85.15% 1 line 2.14 10.69 21.38 42.77 53.46 5 lines 10.69 53.46 106.92 213.84 267.30 10 lines 21.38 106.92 213.84 427.68 534.60 15 lines 32.08 160.38 320.76 641.52 801.90 20 lines 42.77 213.84 427.68 855.36 1069.20 a The formula for the expected (or average) dollar value of losses from playing one hour continuously is: Expected loss 3600 D × C × L × ( 1− r) × BPT = where C is the number of credits staked per line, L is the number of lines played per button push, r is the player return (for example, 0.9213), D is the denomination of the machine (such as 1 or 2 cents, and in the above examples a 2 cent machine), BPT is the time elapsed between button pushes (here set at 5 seconds). Cash Chameleon comes with four return options for the venue/jurisdiction (87.78%, 85.15%, 90.42% and 92.13%). The table above shows the player loss outcomes associated with three of these return rates. Source: Commission calculations. The expected losses also vary by the machine denomination and the player return rate. Clearly, the one cent Cash Chameleon with the same return rate as above, has half the expected player loss per hour for the same playing style. Far less obvious is the influence of the player return on the expected player losses. The Cash Chameleon machine has a number of variants, offering returns as low as 85.15 per cent and as high as 92.13 per cent. As noted in chapter 16, both the maximum and minimum return rates on these variants appear to be high returns, and many people would think the difference slight. However, different player return rates — which are produced by usually making a few simple changes to the symbols on one or two reels — can have a large impact on expected player losses. Thus playing at top HOW GAMING MACHINES WORK U.5
intensity on the 85.15 per cent Cash Chameleon will set back the gambler an expected $1 069 per hour but nearly halves this to $567 per hour on the 92.13 per cent version. Gaming machines are entertaining precisely because of interesting game features and the unpredictability of the outcomes. The complex payoff distributions in gaming machines mean that the returns that gamblers make from games vary significantly in the short run. The corollary to this is that the return rates realised by players will vary considerably from playing session to session. As noted by the AGMMA (sub. D257) and in chapter 16, this implies that players will not be able to readily determine the ‘price’ of single machine, except after many trials. Figure U.1, which shows the player returns from 100 000 simulations of a gaming machine, confirms gaming manufacturers’ statements about the extreme volatility of actual outcomes on poker machines. 6 For example, while the expected net losses from playing on a 10 cent Black Rhino at maximum intensity (nine lines and ten credits per line) are around $780, there is around a 30 per cent chance that the losses will be $1 300 or more per hour. Similarly, there is around a 2.3 per cent chance that the gambler will make a net $1 300 win in an hour long session at this maximum intensity. The odds of breaking even or better are around 17 per cent. U.3 Game volatility Even while all styles of play involve highly unpredictable returns over a reasonable session time, the player can decide whether they wish to increase this unpredictability further by choosing certain playing styles. For example, a Black Rhino player could: • choose a 10 cent machine and play one line with 10 credits per line (staking $1 per button push) — playing style 1; or • also stake $1 a button push by choosing a 2 cent machine and playing 5 lines and 10 credits per line — playing style 2. 6 These data and other simulations of a gaming machine in this appendix are based on software developed by the Commission. The program, which runs on MS Windows 95+ platforms, is available on request from the Commission. U.6 GAMBLING
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- Page 401 and 402: References AADAC (Alberta Alcohol a
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- Page 407 and 408: ——, Dickerson, M. and Harley, B
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- Page 415 and 416: Ferguson, B. 1996, A Note on the In
- Page 417 and 418: —— 1997, Legalised Gambling as
- Page 419 and 420: Horner, T. and Bradfield, G. 1998,
- Page 421 and 422: ——, Marston, A., Singer, R., Wi
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- Page 425 and 426: —— 1995b, Social impacts of urb
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intensity on the 85.15 per cent Cash Chameleon will set back the gambler an<br />
expected $1 069 per hour but nearly halves this to $567 per hour on the 92.13<br />
per cent version.<br />
Gaming machines are entertaining precisely because of interesting game features<br />
and the unpredictability of the outcomes. The complex payoff distributions in<br />
gaming machines mean that the returns that gamblers make from games vary<br />
significantly in the short run. The corollary to this is that the return rates realised by<br />
players will vary considerably from playing session to session. As noted by the<br />
AGMMA (sub. D257) and in chapter 16, this implies that players will not be able to<br />
readily determine the ‘price’ of single machine, except after many trials.<br />
Figure U.1, which shows the player returns from 100 000 simulations of a gaming<br />
machine, confirms gaming manufacturers’ statements about the extreme volatility<br />
of actual outcomes on poker machines. 6<br />
For example, while the expected net losses from playing on a 10 cent Black Rhino<br />
at maximum intensity (nine lines and ten credits per line) are around $780, there is<br />
around a 30 per cent chance that the losses will be $1 300 or more per hour.<br />
Similarly, there is around a 2.3 per cent chance that the gambler will make a net<br />
$1 300 win in an hour long session at this maximum intensity. The odds of breaking<br />
even or better are around 17 per cent.<br />
U.3 Game volatility<br />
Even while all styles of play involve highly unpredictable returns over a reasonable<br />
session time, the player can decide whether they wish to increase this<br />
unpredictability further by choosing certain playing styles. For example, a Black<br />
Rhino player could:<br />
• choose a 10 cent machine and play one line with 10 credits per line (staking $1<br />
per button push) — playing style 1; or<br />
• also stake $1 a button push by choosing a 2 cent machine and playing 5 lines and<br />
10 credits per line — playing style 2.<br />
6 These data and other simulations of a gaming machine in this appendix are based on software<br />
developed by the <strong>Commission</strong>. The program, which runs on MS Windows 95+ platforms, is<br />
available on request from the <strong>Commission</strong>.<br />
U.6 GAMBLING