A video poker movie out of Hollywood

Apparently Jonah Hill will be producing a drama about the recent video poker hacking case that was discussed a lot on this board. Seems a little strange for a Hollywood movie idea but if they do it right and embrace the nuance of the case it could make for a great story.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Jonah-Hill-Making-Casino-Hacking-Drama-About-Vegas-Scandal-69518.html

 

Interesting.

I think you nailed it on the head, there. I can’t imagine this would make a good “take down the casinos” or hacker film. But, if I remember correctly there was plenty of back and forth on the board (and I’m sure, elsewhere) about the ethical and legal issues this case raised.

 

You remember correctly.

My position still hasn't changed. If you accidently stumble upon a design flaw in a machine - great! Enjoy!

If you intentionally try to find design flaws that are not intended to occur that circumvent the published pay-table of the machine - you find one - and then train others to exploit the same flaw for your own personal gain?
Not so cut and dry.
The minute others are involved in the expoitation, I think it constituted 'cheating'.

But I realize that I am (was?) in the minority here on VMB.

One of my sons argued with me about this, suggesting that card counting was the same thing.
My reply to him would apply here: "If card counting resulted in my being overpaid on a win, you would be correct - they would be the same thing."
Using perfect VP basic strategy & realizing a 100.04% payback on a really good paytable as a result - now that would be the same as a card-counter in blackjack.

Me figuring out that at a particular 3-card poker table, I can catch a reflection of the dealer's cards as they're dealt off of a shiny monitor right behind him - not cheating. Me telling others, and having them do it & pay me a % of their wins for telling them? Cheating.

 

Under Nevada law, what they did is cheating from what I interpret. The prosecution was dumb and charged them with the wrong things.

NRS 465.070 Fraudulent acts.  It is unlawful for any person:

(snip)

7.  To manipulate, with the intent to cheat, any component of a gaming device in a manner contrary to the designed and normal operational purpose for the component, including, but not limited to, varying the pull of the handle of a slot machine, with knowledge that the manipulation affects the outcome of the game or with knowledge of any event that affects the outcome of the game.

http://leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-465.html#NRS465Sec070

Open and shut case if you focus on that law, imo.

That being said I'm still glad they exploited the casino and got away with it.

I would also watch the movie as a VP addict of course...:evillaugh

 

Like a lot of things, discovered by complete fluke or accident. I did much the same thing in my teens when I discovered that flicking the handle on a coin operated out of hours gas pump ( I lived out in the sticks in Scotland at the time) would reset the counters to zero and dispense the same amount of gas already dispensed. Me and my 2 buddies that were with me that night never told anyone else about it and did not get greedy and try selling it or whatever. We only ever used it to fill up our own cars and motorcycles, probably why we never got caught.

I think if those guys had not went for the bigger wins in the $1200+ range they may have still been doing it today! Just cashing out a ticket for $450 here and $600 there a few times a day and they would probably not been discovered, but greed kicks in and it,s all over.

 

It's the same as card counting. If you just do it a little bit each time, they'll never notice. If you sit at the table for hours just going up, someone is going to want to "talk" with you.

And, even if it's not a great movie, I'll watch it. Hey, it's about Vegas.

 

I love the "varying the pull of a slot machine" part. How quaint.

 

Oh, me too... my favorite was discovering that a certain type of old cigarette machine would dispense free packs...either the brand on the far left or the far the right...your choice...discovered the trick by accident, but exploited it for years. Showed a few friends over the years, but only because they were with me when I did it for myself.
And yes - I was 'cheating' the vending owner out of his due revenue for his cigarettes...it matters not that I just exploited a flaw - it was still theft.