Consumer Council data shows number of grievances involving claw machines has gone from 16 to 138 over three years
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenTheodora YuPublished: 12:25pm, 15 Jun 2026Updated: 12:29pm, 15 Jun 2026Complaints against Hong Kong claw machine operators have skyrocketed by more than 760 per cent over the past three years, driven by anger over misleading displays, rigged settings and poor-quality prizes, the city’s consumer watchdog has said.
The watchdog also highlighted a case involving a complainant who spent HK$200 (US$25.52) on a claw machine stocked with both miniature toy suitcases and boxes that appeared to contain the same items.
But the complainant and two children only discovered the boxes were empty when they managed to snag one after playing the HK$5-per-turn game 40 times.
The complainant mentioned that the boxes were opaque and lacked any labels indicating they were empty or for decorative purposes only.
When she messaged the machine owner, the operator refused to exchange the box for a toy, saying it was only for decoration.
