Study Reveals the Real Appeal of Video Lottery Terminals and More

The University of Alberta has dedicated some time and research on the effect gambling has on a patron’s mind. Psychology professor Marcia Spetch recently issued her study pointing out that the visual and sound effects a slot machine is able to produce, make the activity itself more appealing for the player, subsequently triggering memories of previous big wins. Slot machines featuring realistic money sounds are preferred, according to the research.

Slot machines developers and the people taking care of them on a regular basis at the casino venue are well aware that visual and sound stimuli are the main selling points of this gaming offering. The visual representation of coins falling in the lap of the player or the sound of the very same coins hitting the ground are widely popular.

Extensive Study Conclusions

Players get the actual feeling of becoming richer and experiencing the lavish lifestyle of a rich person. The abundance of gold coins in their possession is a symbol of status and they strive to increase this pile of cash throughout the time they spend at a slot machine. New research strives to dig deep into the psychology behind this phenomenon.

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The University of Alberta is interested in finding out why it is that players prefer the sound of winning on slot machines. This makes the devices much more attractive and players end up spending more time gambling on them. It appears that the symbols of dollar signs appearing and multiplying on the screen also trigger a positive response in the individuals playing on the machines. Both the visual and the auditory stimulation keep them coming back for more.

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Prof. Spetch has located a link between the increasing player satisfaction experience while gaming and the particular animations happening on the slot machine screen. When winning, the aforementioned sounds and visuals make the entire experience even more grandiose and memorable, as the players associate it with an abundance that could rarely be experienced in real life.

More Information on the Subject

Swimming in a pile of gold coins has been a long-lasting dream for many people and slot machine creators are well-aware of that. The study found out that these sounds and animations make a player disregard any warning signs of an increased risk of losing while gambling. For the players, it does not matter whether the sound of coins falling appears while they are winning or while they are losing, it is still a positive cue.

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Christopher Madan, a former Ph.D. student of Prof. Spetch also worked on the study. He pointed out that the sense of winning might be more dangerous as time progresses, as the sound effects trick them into thinking they are winning when the reality is different. Along with the two individuals, Elliot Ludvig from Warwick University and Yang Liu, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Alberta’s Department of Psychiatry were also busy with the research.

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This is a notion video lottery terminals rely on, as their reputation across British Columbia and Atlantic Canada has worsened due to their alleged deceitful nature. The two provinces are seeing parallel class-action lawsuits against the gaming devices, seeking support from more individuals personally affected by their misleading cues. The outcome of these legal battles could change VLTs future in Canada.