Not By the Hairs on the Commission’s Chinny-Chin-Chin

In a recent ruling, met by much controversy, the Nevada Gaming Commission rejected “Chinny Chin Chins.”  The Commission’s Game Control Board turned down the latest slot machine concept from Las Vegas’ Konami Gaming Inc. in a 3-1 vote on Thursday.

Though not a unanimous vote, the overall consensus was that the game’s “Three Little Pigs” theme violated a ruling against products that may appeal to people less than 21 years of age.  Commissioner Sue Wagner of the Gaming Control Board panel saw the majority ruling as micromanagement of the gaming industry, an industry by no means new to theme based products.

Tony Cabot, Konami’s attorney cannot recall any big selling products on the current market using the tale of the Three Little Pigs.  As a matter of fact the most recent hit using the theme came over 70 years ago when Walt Disney released their animated short.

According to Cabot, no less than a fourth of all slot machines are themed using folk tales.  The reason being, they are “omnipresent in our society.”  Cabot declares “they’re part of our culture,” that is the reason it appeals to adult gamblers. 

The next point the attorney makes is that the Three Little Pigs tale is no longer what people would consider child appropriate content.  The original, morbid cautionary tale involves the Big Bad Wolf eating two pigs before the final pig ends up killing and eating the wolf himself.  “This tale concludes with the wolf being boiled alive in a pot of boiling water.  "That’s not something I’m going to be telling my kids when they’re young,” says Cabot.

In spite of his strong opinion, the opposing Commissioners had a few strong counter arguments of their own.  The Commissioner Art Marshall stated, “I think your whole idea…is based on the children’s version.  You may not have told your kids the story but my kids, they heard that story every night.”

The panel chairman, Pete Bernhard, acknowledged, at the close of the hearing, that minors may be more attracted to the beeps and flashing lights of slot machines, however, the ruling restricting slot machine themes “is on the books.  We have to follow it.”

Bernhard felt he could find no way of contradicting the original opinion of the Control Board officer that concluded “this particular three little pigs-chinny chin chin theme is in product designed for children.”

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