The Consumer Council on Monday called for a review of claw machine regulations after seeing an increase in the number of complaints about the games. The council received 42 complaints about claw machines from January to November this year, three times more than during the same period last year. Complainants alleged machine settings were manipulated, with pincers automatically loosening, and a minimum spend required in order to win a prize. Kenneth Chan, vice-chairman of the council's publicity and community relations committee, attributed the rise in complaints to the industry's growing popularity. "This market capitalises on the consumers' enthusiasm for testing their luck and attracts a dedicated clientele with a wide range of prizes. Because of the low operating costs and minimal entry barriers, these shops are getting more popular in Hong Kong," he said. In one case, a customer spent HK$500 trying to grab a prize over a period of 45 minutes, but received a box of trinkets instead of the displayed waffle maker prize he wanted. Claw machines are not regulated under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, which means operators do not need a licence to open a shop. "We believe it's about time, because of the popularity and also the growing concerns and issues that we found, it's about time to review whether we should regulate these kinds of claw machine businesses," said the council's chief executive Gilly Wong.
