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Grannie's Slot Machines Get Hip

Casinos make play for the young and active

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 10, 2007 8:47 PM CST

(Newser) – After years of catering to the little old lady crowd, slot machine manufacturers are reaching out to the video game generation with a line of skill-based games, the New York Times reports. “We need to appeal to new buckets of players, or we’ll die,” said one slot exec. New machines will sport joysticks, multiplayer modes, and advanced graphics.

Skill will still only get you so far. Casinos love slots because they’re fixed, guaranteed to keep 5-10% of the money they take in. But young gamblers, craving skill and human interaction, flock to less-profitable table games. Getting the message, slots have added interactivity, competition, and hand-eye coordination. “We’re talking about a different vernacular, a whole different machine,” an exec said.

Slot machines are the main cash cows for casinos. (Getty Images)

Inside New York New York, a Statue of Liberty flies high as the slot machines blink and beckon. (KRT Photos)

This file photo shows a traditional slot machine at South Dakota's Pine Ridge Casino. (Magnum Photos)

A young woman uses a traditional slot machine in this file photo. (Magnum Photos)

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Grannie's Slot Machines Get Hip

Casinos make play for the young and active

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

gambling • Las Vegas • casino • slot machines

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Patron at Heart Attack Grill Gets ... a Heart Attack

Vegas visitor was eating the 'triple bypass burger' at the time

Top 10 Trashiest Spring Break Cities

Las Vegas and Key West earn top 'honors'

Donald Trump: Vote for Mitt!

He endorses Romney at Las Vegas news conference

New Miss America: Miss Wisconsin

Opera-singing Laura Kaeppeler nabs 2012 crown

This Burger Costs $5K

But it does come with truffles

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?