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DR. HARRIGAN:
When Ontario approves a slot machine game, it typically approves multiple version of the
same game.
The different versions look the same to the player,
but the major difference is the payback percentage,
which varies from typically a low of 85%
to a high of about 98%.
The way it works is that any given machine on the gaming floor is going to be playing
just one version of the slot machine game,
and another identical-looking machine in the same casino, or in a different casino
could be playing the same game, same version, or a different version of the same game.
On top of that,
the slot machine technician can open the door of the slot machine, and then, through a software
and hardware configuration change,
can alter the version of the slot machine game that is playing on a given machine.
As an example, Ontario has approved the game Lobstermania.
Through Freedom of Information, we have obtained the design documents, which are called PAR sheets,
for all approved versions of Lobstermania. We can see that there are 9 approved
versions, and the payback percentages vary from a low of 85% to a high of 98%.
Our research team is interested in the effects on the player of having multiple versions of the same game,
because a player can't tell which version he or she is playing, and yet the player loses
on average, 2% on one machine,
and 15% on the other.
We're concerned about what effect the experience will be on the player, particularly as
that may relate to problem gambling.