I don’t know if Cheryl Holden’s problem is with gambling specifically, but clearly there’s an issue of some sort going on here.
A Folkestone mum who spent £100 trying to win teddies from an arcade believes the machines were set up to stop her claiming them for her child.
Last month Cheryl Holden, 34, was on a holiday at Camber Sands Holiday Park in Rye, East Sussex with her five-month old son Ashton, partner and partner’s family.
She said the trip and the park were both lovely, until they visited the amusement arcade there.
Hoping to win a plush toy for little Ashton, she began playing on a ‘four goes for £1’ claw machine but said when she did not win anything after spending between £35 and £40, complained to a staff member.She said this staff member then opened the machine and “changed the setting”.
After the change was made, Ms Holden said she put in another £1 and won a Dumbo teddy.
Immediately afterwards, she said the staff member again readjusted the machine’s setting.
Ms Holden said she was glad to have finally won but wanted a second toy for her child.
“All the ones you have there aren’t the ones you can get in a shop,” she said.
“They are the sort you would have to order online.”After emptying another £60 into the machine over the next few days without winning a single teddy, she said she again complained.
“I was not abusive or anything,” she insisted.
“I raised my voice because I was angry but I was trying to make it clear to other parents it’s not possible to win a teddy bear and it’s rigged.”
Dumbo, you say. Seems somehow appropriate.
The company responsible for the machines says that it takes all complaints seriously, but I have to imagine this one might pose a problem assuming they aren’t outright lying about that.
