To play an electronic gaming machine (EGM), a player must insert money – either coins or notes – to buy credits* on the machine.

The player then selects how many of their credits per play-line* they wish to spend and how many lines they wish to play either by pressing buttons on the machine or by touching the screen.

This activates the random number generator* in the machine that determines which symbols are displayed on the virtual reels on the screen. Depending on which symbols are displayed, the player either wins or loses the bet.

It is impossible for the player to influence this process by pressing the buttons in a particular way or by any other means.

There is no "set" pattern of combinations on any gaming machine. Players who choose gaming machines as a form of entertainment need to be aware of the way in which the machines operate. A player’s chance of winning or losing is the same for every game, regardless of the previous wins or losses. A machine that has not "paid out" for some time has no greater chance of paying out if a player continues to play. The venue and its staff have no control over the outcome of the game.

Gaming machine technology has undergone major advances in the last century. From simple, one-armed mechanical devices to electronic, linked machines with computer based screens and graphics.

Today the technology encompasses:

• Touch-screen interactive games
• Push button play with interactive touch-screen features
• Second screen features and bonus games
• Multi-play games
• Linked jackpots with plasma or LCD screen displays
• Stand alone jackpots

It is important that players inform themselves fully before playing a gaming machine by reading the game information displayed on the artwork panels on the front of the machine or by pressing the player information button on the machine to activate player information displays.

In Victoria, all new games approved by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation on or after 1 January 2003, must be capable of displaying electronic information so that players can inform themselves about the game or track their play.

By pressing the player information button a player can view screens that provide information such as return to player percentage, the average number of individual games played to achieve any win and the chances of achieving the top five and bottom five individual winning combinations.

The available information is provided in different screens, as follows:

• View game information
• Start tracking session
• Game rules

View Game Information

This screen provides statistical information about the game on the gaming machine, including return to player.

By law, each electronic gaming machine in Victoria must return to players a minimum of 87% of all monies gambled over a specified period of spins. This does not mean that every time a player spends $10, they are guaranteed an $8.70 return. It simply means that on statistical expectation each electronic gaming machine will have paid out the minimum percentage over a 12-month period.

The Game information screen also displays the average number of individual games to achieve any win. This information is based on a 1 line, 1 credit bet with no feature wins.

Start Tracking Session

By selecting this screen, a player is able to display information about their particular session of play if the player chooses to keep track of this information while they are playing. This information includes the amount of time and the amount of money the player has spent during a session of play.

Game Rules

This screen displays game information and pay tables, similar to the artwork on the front panels of some electronic gaming machines. It describes when features are available and the options available to either credit the winning credits back to the credit pool or to enact gamble features such as double up.

Return to Game

A player can return to the game at any time in any of the Player Information screens by selecting Return to Game