It's a frustrating and familiar experience for many visitors: Just as the coveted plush toy heads toward the chute of a claw machine, the claw relaxes, dropping the prize.
Hong Kongers have lost patience with these ubiquitous machines and the city's consumer watchdog is now considering regulations for the industry.
The Consumer Council has seen an increase in complaints related to claw machines, which it says “capitalize on consumers' enthusiasm to try their luck.”
Among them was a man who spent 500 Hong Kong dollars ($64.4; £50.7) in 45 minutes to win a waffle iron, but was instead offered “nothing more than a few trinkets “.
Forty-two complaints were filed in the first 11 months of this year, compared to 16 in 2023 and seven in 2022, the Consumer Council said on Monday.
“The industry often changes claw settings or introduces obstacles inside claw machines to make winning more difficult… Excessive difficulty or unfair settings could make consumers feel worse,” the board said in a statement on Monday. a press release.
“We think it is time to consider whether we need to regulate claw machine companies,” said Gilly Wong Fung-han, chief executive of the board, according to news reports.
But Jayden Chen, founder of a claw machine rental company in Singapore, told the BBC that programmed claw machines “are actually part of the fun.”
“The players then feel the excitement and adrenaline and will keep going. If they win most of the time, who would try a second or third time?
“Regulations will kill the fun element,” Mr. Chen said.
In Hong Kong, claw machine operators do not need a license to open.
In the case of the man who bid for the waffle maker, he used a claw machine that promised “instant prices” – the waffle maker was in the advertised price range and he believed consumers should have the right to choose their reward. .
One woman, who was playing with another claw machine, complained that every time she was about to move the desired toy down the chute, the claw would relax, letting go of the toy.
The machine featured a “guaranteed grab” mechanism for players who had spent at least HK$100 without winning: only on their next try would the claw maintain its grip until the toy was extracted. The woman lamented that it was a “dishonest business practice”.
Reports have shown that claw machines can be programmed to have a strong grip for only part of the time, or to only release a prize after a certain number of tries.
In another example given by the council, a third complainant wanted to break his HK$100 bill into HK$5 coins in a claw video arcade. However, after inserting the note, he only received one HK$5 coin. His request for reimbursement was refused and he was “compensated” with an equivalent value in game rounds.
The man protested, calling it “forced consumption”, but the operator stood by its decision not to issue cash refunds, saying the coin exchange “incurs operational costs such as bank charges”.
The council did not specify how it would regulate the industry, but warned consumers to “spend rationally and be mindful of addiction.”
“Consumers should evaluate whether the total amount spent is worth the value of the desired price,” it says.
He also advised consumers to videotape their gameplay so they have evidence on hand in the event of a dispute.
It adds that some claw machines are suspected of having been used for gambling activities and urges consumers to exercise caution.
