ATM + roulette = fun?

A Japanese bank is incorporating a virtual roulette wheel into its ATM machines. I don’t this is a joke, and you can read the article from Reuters:

Japanese banks have long had a reputation for poor service but at least one is trying something new — wooing customers with an opportunity to try their hand at Lady Luck.

A roulette wheel pops onto the screen of automatic teller machines when customers of Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank Ltd finish transferring funds. A lucky spin and the customer wins 1,000 yen ($8.50).

“Using ATMs is impersonal and lacks communication,” said a spokesman for the bank which is based in Gifu prefecture, central Japan. “We wanted to add some fun.”

The new service will start from September 13 at 134 of the bank’s branches.

The roulette game is Ogaki Kyoritsu’s second shot at jazzing up its ATM services. It launched an on-screen slot machine game last August, in which customers may win prizes of an ATM fee waiver or 1,000 yen after withdrawing money.

“Our customers enjoy it very much,” the spokesman said.

Bank to woo customers with ATM roulette game | Oddly Enough | Reuters.co.uk

I know that customers aren’t actually playing the slot or roulette machine by placing a bet, though since there are ATM fees involved, one could argue that each transaction is a bet.

I can think of much better ways of making banking “fun,” like waiving ATM fees altogether. Playing roulette every time you get cash…and people wonder why casino companies are looking forward to Japan legalizing casinos. It’s going to be a bonanza.