[UA] Re: Las Vegas UA

[David M Jacobs]

On 18/10/06, Matt Smith <cyberdad at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I used to work with a guy to used to service gambling machines, like
> slot machines, in Las Vegas.


<snip>

I also know that many of the smaller casinos out-source the maintenance
> of their machines to 3rd party companies that specialize in that sort of
> thing.  Some of the big casinos probably do the same thing as well.


I used to work in an amusement arcade, and whilst we did most of the
maintenance ourselves, for the really  serious stuff, we got in a guy who
used to service slot machines as well.  Mostly for pubs and stuff (we have
one of the highest per-capita numbers of slot machines in the world, here in
Sydney), but the same rules apply as in casinos.

He mentioned that one day, he was working on a machine, opened up the
cabinet, and lo and behold, found half a rock-hard donut sitting in the
bottom.  He looked across at a colleague and said, "Hey, look what some
total f***wit left in this machine!"

His colleague came over, reached in and pulled out a card.  It was our tech
guy's ID card, about two years out of date, certifying him to service slot
machines, complete with photo and signature.  Weird thing is, he couldn't
remember losing his card.

An idea:

Now, what if the bad guys weren't actually stealing the machine, but trying
to "charge it up"?  Maybe the locus of fortune shifts around Las Vegas, and
they want to ensure that this machine is bathed in the winning spirit as
often as possible?

As Chris mentioned before, those machines are *heavy*, and it's hardly
unobtrusive, swapping a couple of hundred kilos of cabinet around.  So,
instead, they swap the motherboard out, moving it from machine to machine.

Most places want as little downtime on their machines as possible
(particularly smaller venues), so they're not as likely to question a
trusted tech swapping the motherboard as they would losing their whole
machine for a day, whilst the tech goes for a replacement.

So you have one guy moving from casino to casino, jamming gum in the coin
mechs, and his tech confederate, waiting for the call, coming out and
replacing the coin mech, flipping dip switches by sleight of hand, saying
"I'll have to take that back to the shop" and swapping out the motherboard.
Wash, rinse, repeat.

Finally, the machine charges up fully.  One of the PCs, killing time, sits
down at the slot machine, pops in a dollar, and *every* symbol comes up a
crown.  Not just the one across the middle row on the dials, but every
single one.  On top of the ludicrous payout, he wins 25 free spins -- and
again, the same thing happens, every time.  Lights flash, and alarms go off,
and the casino staff and passersby descend on the machine like seagulls on a
hamburger.

One of the in-house techs comes along, opens up the machine and finds a
service card in the bottom -- and it belongs to the tech who swapped the
motherboard out.

Meanwhile, the gum-stuffer looks on, upset that the PC has ruined their
plan; he pursues the PCs, intent on revenge.  The rogue tech drops off the
radar, and word on the street is that the casino owner is looking for him,
offering a big reward to whoever brings him in.

Hilarity ensues.


-- 
David M Jacobs
davidmichaeljacobs at gmail.com

"[N]ever hide a gun in a cat box. Some moron cat would manage to fire it."
-- Tim Powers.
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