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Konami video slots pulled from Ontario casinos

Dozens of video slot machines found to flash jackpot logos across screen with every spin; regulatory board determining if it was subliminal messaging or a glitch.

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On Friday, an Ontario gambling operator shut down 87 Konami video slot machines in the Canadian province out of concern that they may contain subliminal messages that would encourage players to keep gambling, according to CBC News. The Canadian news service discovered that three brands of video slot machines sold by the publisher's gambling division, Konami Gaming, flashed winning jackpot symbols for one-fifth of a second during every spin.

A Konami spokesperson told the CBC that the jackpot symbols were the result of a software glitch that the company will fix. Konami has determined that four of its machines--Most Wanted, Sergeant Fritter, Billionaires, and Sticks and Stones--have the glitch, but only the first three were released in Canada. Authorities in British Columbia also pulled the machines on Friday but allowed them to go back into service when it was determined they were paying out at a normal rate.

Ontario's Alcohol and Gaming Commission told the CBC that it is examining the matter to see what actions--if any--need to be taken.

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