Like the little green aliens in Disney’s “Toy Story,” people — often kids — may find themselves obsessed with “the claw.” Claw machines, also known as crane machines, dot arcades, malls, even grocery ...

In a crowded casino made for kids, stocked with rows upon rows of neon, chiming claw machines, I saw my 12-year-old son’s life flash before my eyes. He had already drained $20 into a single machine ...