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Calling The PC Police

As reviewers of online slot machines, we are routinely exposed to a wide range of themes. From fish to fruit, sports to spooks, the diversity of slot game genres is broad and various. There really is something for everyone in the world of online gambling, and it’s evident that slot designers at Microgaming, Cryptologic, and the other big names really go out of their way to make sure that their variety is always expanding. On the other hand, we think that sometimes these designers try too hard – or maybe not at all.

We are talking about offensive slot machine themes, usually devoted to a particular culture or race. We’ve seen some pretty ugly stereotypes represented in slot games – Asians, Hindus, Native Americans, and Inuit people among the victims. These offenses against political correctness are usually perpetuated in what appears to be a light-hearted manner. But what (we hope) these game designers don’t realize is that cartoons of leering redskins with feathers in their headbands and slanty-eyed coolies with rice sacks and flat hats are just not funny or okay.

We wouldn’t consider ourselves especially sensitive, and like to think that we can appreciate a good joke as much as anyone else. What we will not stand for, however, is racist humor in online slot games that are supposed to be entertaining. That’s why we will always slam these titles in our slot reviews. Perhaps it won’t make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but we would find it morally reprehensible to not speak our piece on the matter.

Back to February 2009 Archive.