A customer stands between claw machines at an arcade centre at a shopping mall in Hong Kong, May 11. AFP-Yonhap
HONG KONG — Claw machine lover Neiki Lee carefully lowers the metal jaws of a crane with a joystick into a pool of prizes, only to have the small toy slip from its clutches again and again.
Dozens of stores filled with claw machines have sprung up on streets and in malls across Hong Kong's finance hub in recent years, promising players a treasure trove of prizes and a sense of fulfilment.
The colourfully lit machines, often seen drawing people like moths to a flame, have come under regulatory scrutiny this month, as officials raised addiction concerns over the seemingly harmless games.
Lee, 48, admitted that she was "totally hooked" and that "this is definitely gambling," adding that she bets at least five Hong Kong dollars every time she attempts to win a higher-value plush toy.
