eBay Gambles the Brand (literally!)

**Update - a reader actually pointed me to this press release that details more of the features and functionality of the new eBay slot machines.  You can watch a video here.

I'm out here in Las Vegas at the Goldman Sachs internet conference and stayed in one of the newer hotel casinos that has lots of the newer branded casino games.  Imagine my surprise when I walked around a corner and saw this familiar brand:

So eBay seems to have licensed their brand to a line of casino games.  It's really really cheesy.  This cluster of 10 machines is called a "community" (progressive pot or something) and then it's basically a slot machine and in each column you have eBay logo letters, categories and 'whimsical' items you may find on eBay like a boot, baseball or a car.

Since JD has been at the helm for such a short time, I have to believe this was done under the Meg regime and with her tight views of brand, I'm really shocked that eBay would license the brand to something like this.

Kind of ironic that gambling sites can't use PayPal, eh?

Comments

[Stephanie Harris]

If you haven't played this somewhere, don't knock it! It's some of the most fun you can have playing on slot machines. It provides a lot of entertainment for the buck, and fairly good rewards too, when a player trips the community mode. You look up at the 'big screen' to watch the 'spins.' Everyone playing wins during those spins; what you've bet determines how big your win is. It takes a little bit to get the hang of hitting the button to keep the meter up - which determines the multiplier. It's a hoot! It's difficult to get a seat at these community bank of slots. If you still don't get it - figure this: you're playing your money - and everyone else's, too - and when one hits, you ALL hit!

[pokerstars marketing code]

i played this slot machine in vegas. ITs so fun to play.

pokerstars marketing bonus code

[Susan Kuchinskas]

I also ran across this machine on a Vegas trip and was blown away. I'm writing a short piece on this for Mediapost's Media Magazine and five calls or emails to different flacks at eBay garnered no response at all.

Scott, I'm gonna say in the article that you think it's cheesy. I think it delivers a weird brand message.

BTW, here's a working link to the press release: http://www.sys-con.com/node/546432

[Ron]

I dont know. I personally appricate the advertisement to be honest with ya. Is playing a Star Wars slot make u feel like watching one of the 6 movies is a gamble?
What about playing a Wheel Of Fortune slot? Makes you wanna watch the game show, thats good marketing. I dont know about you but its advertising folks. Its Guerrilla Marketing (great book) at its finest.
I think most of the people that complain on these blogs and message boards are the always gonna have something negative to say about the platform that allows them to make a living and not work at a factory. But what do I know?

[Jerry Dickson]

Ebay only TRIES not to look crooked. They are like a well organized mob in suits. A good example is how they allow people to be RIPPED OFF by "mystery auctions" - where dumb people bid so much money and get almost (but not quite) as much back and the seller keeps the rest. It has a lot of things to fix but would probably say everything is fine. There is money to be made on Ebay if you have no conscience, and sometimes it's just like gambling, so I think they are a nice fit. Ebay doesn't care so long as they make money, otherwise they would only charge ONE TIME for a listing and offer a relisting for free until the item sold; however they charge over and over for the same listing and people are too dumb to know that the item will never sell and keep giving EBAY more money.

[Walter]

Oh, I don't know. I'd say it's a perfect fit. Let's all be honest about eBay. There is a component to bidding on items up for auction that feels much like gambling does. Winning and Losing, getting something for less than what it's really worth. If you've ever bid on an item in the last minute you know the adrenaline rush that accompanies it. Logic and reason are out the window in that scenario, just as they are the moment you decide to plunk your quarters into a slot machine. (OK, slide your bill into the reader - it's so anti-climactic now.) I was in Vegas with a buddy once and he marvelled at an ad from Bally's that proclaimed a 98% payout on slots and voiced his desire to go there. I was amazed. They're telling you up front that every time you spin the reels they get 2% of your play on average, and you want to go willingly. Only in Vegas.

I think paypal's shyness for gambling sites is born from a pure fear of government. It's a risk reward issue, not a holier than thou issue/brand image issue. If web-based gambling were legal in the U.S., paypal would be right there with every other payment system, clamoring for their piece of the pie. After all, who are they to judge if a customer wants to use their service for a perfectly legal purpose. Though I've never seen it, I'd guess that there's a way for me to buy lots of things that many people would consider immoral, using paypal. Guns, booze, cigarettes, pornography, and so on. All perfectly legal however. If I have a paypal credit card I can do that pretty easily, right? I could probably even take a cash advance from a paypal credit card and fund my gambling too. Right? (Maybe not according to their cardholder terms fine print, but let's be realistic.)

In the age of the corporation everything is fair game so long as there's a positive return on investment.

[Jonathan]

That's unbelievable. When PESA hosted a charity poker tournament at eBay Live in Vegas in '04 (or was it 05), eBay declined to support it because they had concerns about being tied to gambling! Of course, they were having their event in Las Vegas; and they totally looked past the fact that we raised $5,000 for NetSmartz which is a charity that helps protect children from online predators.

Fast forward to today, eBay donated $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity as part of PESA's event in New Orleans this past Spring. I have to say that the new regime has a fresher view of the community and their brand. I bet those slot machines are gone in the near future.

Nice discovery Scot!

[Las Vegas]

Where are the Amazon machines or the half.com machines?

[vzaar Jamie]

Lemons...

It's pretty tasteless really and serves in no way to push eBay as a trusted brand. If you win, do you get PayPal tokens?

[LS]

Wow, that's incredibly hideous.

[Patricia]

Don't ask if any of them have grandmothers - they sold them a long time ago!