BCLC Pays Out Jackpot after Slot Malfunction
One may wonder whether slots winnings should be paid out if there is a glitch in the software, and the question became a reality for one slots player in British Columbia. It has taken some time for the news to emerge regarding a faulty slot machine in the British Columbia Lottery Corporation's jurisdiction. In this case, however, there was a very lucky player because the BCLC paid out after the jackpot slot malfunction.
Penticton Lake City Casino Pays Out Winnings
The BCLC kept the news quiet that a slot had malfunctioned at the Penticton Lake City Casino, and a player took home a $100,000 slot jackpot that was 100 times the maximum payout that the machine offered. The game was only meant to pay out a maximum jackpot of $1,000.
While playing the Dragon Fever slot machine game on January 20th this year, a woman hit the jackpot for $100,000 explained Laura Piva-Babcock, a spokesperson from the BCLC. The jackpot was hit for an exact amount of $99,999.97. When this large jackpot was hit, the lottery officials were very concerned.
Laura Piva-Babcock said: "As per standard procedure, the machine was immediately placed out of service while the matter was investigated and we notified our regulator as well as the manufacturer of the machine."
While the lottery corporation may have been within their rights to refuse payment of such a large jackpot on a machine that only offered a $1,000 jackpot, the decision was made that the winner would be paid. It is unclear whether the winner took home the full amount of winnings, although it is clear that an agreement was reached between the casino and the player as a customer services gesture. While the lucky winner took home her winnings, the BCLC will recoup their losses from the gambling company that designed the slot machine. The slot was designed by the Konami gambling software company.
BCLC Fixes Slot Machine Malfunction
After the incident took place, the BCLC quietly pulled 189 similar slots from gaming areas until the glitch could be found and fixed. 152 of these machines had the same malfunction, and the software has since been fixed and replaced. While the fixes were quietly done, the BCLC did not announce that the malfunction had occurred, however, a newspaper reporter contacted the lottery corporation after receiving an anonymous tip.
Piva-Babcock noted: "It takes a specific set of circumstances in order for that fault to occur. So it's very rare."
