Hong Kong Consumer Watchdog Urges Greater Transparency Amid Surge In Claw Machine Complaints

Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has urged claw machine operators to exercise greater transparency amid a surge in complaints over the past two years.

The Consumer Council said on Monday that the number of complaints related to claw machines had surged nearly nine times over two years, from 16 cases in 2023 to 138 in 2025.

“The complaints revealed that some machines displayed or positioned prizes in a way that was prone to misunderstanding; machine settings and gameplay explanations were unclear; and prize quality varied significantly,” the watchdog said.

Citing a complaint, the watchdog said a customer successfully grabbed a box after attempting 40 times and spending around HK$200 – only to discover it was empty.

The shop owner refused to provide a refund, saying the box was displayed only for decorative purposes and was not a prize. After the customer complained to the council, the owner apologised to the complainant and fully refunded the HK$200.

At another shop, a player reported that the claw machine automatically dropped the toy when it reached the top of the machine, preventing it from being delivered to the prize chute. Suspecting that the company had rigged the machines, he lodged a complaint.

“The Council urges claw machine operators to enhance transparency by clearly displaying, on the machine or in a conspicuous location, the charges, gameplay, mechanisms and winning conditions, as well as the contact details of the responsible person,” it said.

It also called on operators to avoid setting an excessive or unreasonable level of difficulty, “which could undermine consumer rights or create negative perceptions.”

The watchdog also advised customers to read the rules carefully and to carefully check the quality of prizes.

They should stop playing and contact staff members if they observe any abnormal settings, it added. If no employees are on site, customers can take videos of gameplay as evidence.

“Whether a prize can be clawed out is influenced not only by machine settings and prize placement, but also by skill and luck. Consumers should weigh expected expenditure against the value of the prize to avoid over‑consumption or addiction,” it added.

The council’s statement comes as the government moves to regulate claw and pinball machines by implementing a licensing regime.

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau said in a proposal to the Legislative Council last month that the low-maintenance business opportunity, which involves gambling elements or addiction risks, may need to be subject to restrictions to protect players.