Sega Key Master Game ‘Rigged,’ Claims $5M Class Action Lawsuit

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Key Master, a vending machine game found in malls and arcades nationwide, is touted by Sega of America Inc and other developers as a game of skill, but the machines are “rigged,” according to a class action lawsuit filed in California federal court Monday.  

Lead plaintiff, Marcelo Muto, wants to represent consumers nationwide who he says were duped into thinking Key Master was a game of skill by misrepresentations by Sega, Play It! Amusements, Inc. and Komuse America Inc.  

Most American consumers have seen Key Master machines in malls, arcades, or store lobbies. Key Master purportedly works by awarding a prize whenever the player successfully times a key to stop and enter a “keyhole” in the machine.  

Muto, a California resident, claims that Key Master is rigged, however, and the timing of prizes is not based on player skill, but on the machine’s programing. The plaintiff says that he and others who have inserted untold sums into Key Master games did not know the truth – players can only win prizes at certain times. 

Indeed, the plaintiff says that the instructions on the Key Master machine he played in 2019 claimed that the game was skill-based; however, no matter how skillfully he played, he could not win a prize. 

“[E]ven if the player skillfully controls the movement of the key by stopping the key in just the right spot, where the key would enter the keyholder if there were no interference by the Key Master Machine’s programming, the player will not win a prize unless the player happens to have played the game at the same time it was pre-programmed to allow a win,” states the class action lawsuit.  

The class action lawsuit alleges that Key Master machines are pre programs to only allow players to win after a certain number of failures. The number of failures is set by the operator, according to the manual cited by the lawsuit.  

The plaintiff says that he and others would not have paid to play Key Master had they known the machines were not based on player skill, but machine programming. Muto says he would play Key Master again if the machines were not programmed to force players to lose despite their skill.  

Sega fails to warn would-be Key Master players that the game is rigged, claims the plaintiff who wants the manipulation to stop. Muto accuses Sega of violating California consumer protection laws, fraud, and unjust enrichment.  

The plaintiff wants to represent Key Master players nationwide, along with several subclasses of California residents. In addition to forcing Sega to stop rigging the game, Muto is seeking damages on behalf of the Class Members, attorney and court fees.  

Have you played Sega Key Master? Do you think it is rigged? Tell us in the comment section below! 

The plaintiff is represented by Benjamin Heikali, Joshua Nassir, and Ruhandy Glezakos of Farqui & Farqui, LLP, and Janine L. Pollack and Michael Liskow of Calcaterra Pollack, LLP.  

The Sega Key Master Class Action Lawsuit is Muto v. Sega of America, Inc, et al., Case No. 5:21-cv-01161 in the U.S. District Court Central District of California Eastern Division.

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