Curwen loved that machine. For that is all the VLT was, just a machine. What he didn't realize or probably didn't care about , was the fact that the VLT was linked to a master computer in Saskatoon. The payoff for the machine was miserably low for a game of chance. The fact was the machine took in much more than it ever paid out. The odds of winning were such that it was not, nor ever would be, a paying proposition.
However, Curwen's attitude was that he loved his machine. He even gave the VLT a female name. He called it Margie after one of his lost loves.
Every dollar of his Social Services stipen went to feed Margie. He would panhandle or borrow and run to Margie and spend some time with her. She had a certain excitement for him. The very times, gambling his last dollar, the VLT would take all his money.
In the month of December Curwen got his Social Services cheque, cashed it and went to spend some time gambling. The anticipation of spending some time, a good time, a long time with Margie obsessed him. He would take the rent money, the food money, and his family's Christmas presents and give it to Margie and see what she would give him in return. Maybe he could buy his family some expensive Christmas presents for a change. The VLT scorned him, mocked him, and took all of his money. December 1 at 4:30 he was broke. He had gambled his whole cheque. My God, what had he done? What had she done?
He went back to his apartment feeling numb. What could he do? He phoned several friends to borrow money.  Everyone knew Curwen had a gambling problem. They were either too poor or had heard the same sob story several times before. So Curwen was broke and nobody would help him.
Moments later, there was a knock at his door. It was the landlord. He wanted the rent. At Curwen's sob story the landlord told him he would be evicted. Curwen was homeless, no food, and no Christmas Presents for his loved ones.
He would seek revenge. He would fix Margie once and for all for giving him such misery. He would not let her ruin another life.
After a sleepless night, the next morning he walked into the hotel bar where the VLT was, with a hammer hid under his coat. She was unoccupied, her screen beckoned alluringly. Curwen stood in front of her and took out the hammer. "You *****!" he screamed smashing the screen again and again.
The crowd looked up from their drinks as if they knew this was going to happen someday.
The hotel bouncer came running and grabbed the hammer. Curwen was subdued with his face pressed into the filthy rug of the hotel bar room floor.
Curwen was charged with destroying hotel and government property. At his trial Curwen said, "I'm glad I did it. I killed her before she actually killed someone else."
Curwen spent Christmas in jail. For what - justifiable homicide - two years less a day.