GAMBLERS ‘ZONE OUT’
Gambling addicts who play slot machines enter a trancelike state that appears to make the surrounding world and its cares melt away, according to new research
Gambling addicts enter a trancelike state while playing slot machines that appears to make the surrounding world and its cares melt away, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.
The results of their experiment support the idea of a “slot machine zone” in which players escape from negative emotions and stress and block reminders of the world around them, said lead author Spencer Murch, a psychology graduate student.
“When (problem gamblers) describe it, it’s like they forget about everything else that’s going on,” he said.
Problem gamblers immersed in the gambling experience are known to forget appointments and even neglect to eat or urinate.
Compared with old-style onearmed bandits, the new generation of slot machines create a particularly immersive experience in which players can place bets on multiple outcomes and receive a great variety of more frequent rewards, from free spins and bonuses to cash payouts, what the researchers call “overlapping reinforcement schedules.”
“The modern slot machine is one of the most sophisticated animal learning devices ever devised,” Murch said. “With the continuous pace of play, it’s easy to zone out while playing them.”
In the experiment, experienced slot machine players who were also at risk of problem gambling were least likely to notice changes in their immediate environment while playing slots when compared with less experienced and first time players.
Both experienced and inexperienced players who were most at risk of problem gambling were more deeply immersed in the gaming experience, losing track of time and entering trancelike states.
The findings are at odds with the traditional notion that problem gamblers crave excitement and the thrill of winning, said senior author Luke Clark, director of the Centre for Gambling Research at UBC.
“When you watch people play slots in a casino, there isn’t a lot of excitement going on,” he said. “It looks like they are barely moving, like they are in a state of calm rather than excitement.” Murch believes slot machines could be redesigned to promote more “responsible play.”
Government-mandated responsible gambling signage in casinos is “least likely” to be effective with the people most at risk of problem gambling, if they’re playing slots, said Murch.
“They’re immersed in the game and we know they ignore things in their visual periphery.
“If we want to present messaging with any hope of reaching problem gamblers, it should appear onscreen,” he said.