Software Glitch Saw Aussie Casino Give Away Millions In Cash 19
A software glitch in the "ticket in, cash out" (TICO) machines at Star Casino in Sydney, Australia, saw it inadvertently give away $2.05 million over several weeks. This glitch allowed gamblers to reuse a receipt for slot machine winnings, leading to unwarranted cash payouts which went undetected due to systematic failures in oversight and audit processes. The Register reports: News of the giveaway emerged on Monday at an independent inquiry into the casino, which has had years of compliance troubles that led to a finding that its operators were unsuitable to hold a license. In testimony [PDF] given on Monday to the inquiry, casino manager Nicholas Weeks explained that it is possible to insert two receipts into TICO machines. That was a feature, not a bug, and allowed gamblers to redeem two receipts and be paid the aggregate amount. But a software glitch meant that the machines would return one of those tickets and allow it to be re-used -- the barcode it bore was not recognized as having been paid.
"What occurred was small additional amounts of cash were being provided to customers in circumstances when they shouldn't have received it because of that defect," Weeks told the inquiry. Local media reported that news of the free cash got around and 43 people used the TICO machines to withdraw money to which they were not entitled -- at least one of them a recovering gambling addict who fell off the wagon as the "free" money allowed them to fund their activities. Known abusers of the TICO machines have been charged, and one of those set to face the courts is accused of association with a criminal group. (The first inquiry into The Star, two years ago, found it may have been targeted by organized crime groups.)
"What occurred was small additional amounts of cash were being provided to customers in circumstances when they shouldn't have received it because of that defect," Weeks told the inquiry. Local media reported that news of the free cash got around and 43 people used the TICO machines to withdraw money to which they were not entitled -- at least one of them a recovering gambling addict who fell off the wagon as the "free" money allowed them to fund their activities. Known abusers of the TICO machines have been charged, and one of those set to face the courts is accused of association with a criminal group. (The first inquiry into The Star, two years ago, found it may have been targeted by organized crime groups.)
Gambling (Score:4, Insightful)
If someone steals money from the casino then gambles it all away, did the casino actually lose anything?
Re: (Score:2)
Watch our, Socrates might give you a stern lecture about the moral right of taking things that don't belong to you.
Re: (Score:1)
So, that would be aimed at the casino who prey on the naive and desperate?
were not entitled on an software bug? (Score:2)
But seems like an bad bug put in 2 and the 2th gets kicked out like an miss read and does not mark it as paid but the software adds the 2 one to the pay out counter?
Putting in more then 1 tito seems like something that should be part of the basic test for each software update.
reported for fraud seems way to much for each user (Score:2)
reported for fraud seems way to much for each user that put in 2 tickets.
What if an vending machine killed back the 2th bill you put in most people would think that it missed read the bill and may or may see that it give the funds for 2 bills.
and what if they put it in again to have it take it and give them funds for 3 bills? I don't see that as fraud but just some issue with the machine.
Re: (Score:2)
Fraud is knowingly abusing something under Australian law, not accidentally doing it. If they did it once they were entitled to keep the winnings. If they do it repeatedly and on purpose they are committing fraud, it really is that simple. The amount of the winnings or number of tickets (beyond 1) isn't relevant.
over several weeks only 43 people put in 2 titos a (Score:2)
over several weeks only 43 people put in 2 titos at one time?
How would they scan it twice? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
If you can't read the article, read the summary at least before posting:
... casino manager Nicholas Weeks explained that it is possible to insert two receipts into TICO machines. That was a feature, not a bug, and allowed gamblers to redeem two receipts and be paid the aggregate amount. But a software glitch meant that the machines would return one of those tickets and allow it to be re-used
Re: (Score:2)
But a software glitch meant that the machines would return one of those tickets and allow it to be re-used
Hope the casino is happy with lowest bid programmers.
Re: (Score:2)
some are just scan like self checkout.
Gambling (Score:2)
The tax on stupidity.
Wow (Score:2)
So the casino business was so profitable that it did not notice 2 million just flowing out of the door
Impressive. Or horrifying. Or maybe astoundingly incompetent.
Re: (Score:2)
You're assuming real time reporting and continuous finance monitoring. Businesses do not balance the books on a minute by minute basis and compare actual earnings to estimates to see if something is amiss. Giving away money over "several weeks" really sounds like they caught the issue straight away at a monthly financial review.
On the fence... (Score:2)
I can't decide if I consider it 'theft' when they give you something to put in a machine and it gives you money.... If you have the chance to put it in again, and it gives you money again, are you "defrauding" them? Isn't it their responsibility to ensure it only pays out once?
Re: (Score:2)
I can't decide if I consider it 'theft' when they give you something to put in a machine and it gives you money.... If you have the chance to put it in again, and it gives you money again, are you "defrauding" them? Isn't it their responsibility to ensure it only pays out once?
I think it would be worth a shot in court. What is the casino going to do, argue that nobody could be stupid enough to expect the same ticket to keep paying out money? Um, casinos rely on gamblers to do exactly that every time they sit down at a gaming table.
Just in case it's not obvious from this post, I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice :-)