The psychology behind slot machines

Slot machines arrived late to casinos, where table games were the real action. While before the 70s they represented less than 50% of casino revenue, today they dominate the scene, even reaching the internet with online games. onlinecasinosportugal.pt. But why?

Well, the answer lies in psychology. The development of slot machines was based on some psychological theories, which made the game so popular among gamblers. It's no coincidence that Silicon Valley is now also taking note of these tactics and adopting similar strategies to make games and apps of all kinds more appealing to users.

Slot machines and psychology

In the mid-20th century, the slot machines Electromechanical machines began to appear and replaced the previous mechanical models. In the 50s, there was a race to build the largest possible slot machine, and the result was the "Big Bertha." It was a 2 by 3 meter machine with eight reels, powered by a five-horsepower motor. In 1963, Bally Manufacturing developed the first completely electromechanical slot machines, called "Money Honey." It had major differences compared to its predecessors; the internal mechanisms were now electronic parts instead of springs, and it also had sounds, lights, the option to bet multiple coins, and a coin funnel.

The addictive nature of slot machines is what makes them so popular among gamblers and casino owners. Their digital interfaces, often with large curved screens, full of colors and catchy music, are designed to attract people. But it's the way they distribute rewards that really makes the difference, and machine manufacturers, such as... NovomaticThese invisible elements dominate.

To keep people playing, all machines rely on the same basic psychological principles discovered by researcher B.F. Skinner in the 60s. Skinner is famous for an experiment in which he placed pigeons in a box that gave them a pellet of food when they pressed a lever. But when Skinner altered the box so that the food came out in random bursts each time—a system dubbed variable rate application—the pigeons pressed the lever more frequently. Thus was born the Skinner box, which the researcher himself compared to a slot machine.

The Skinner box works by mixing tension and release; the absence of an immediate result after the lever is pressed creates expectation in the pigeon, which finds release when the reward is given. Too little reward and the animal becomes frustrated and stops trying; too much and it will not push the lever as often anymore.

Finding this sweet spot is the goal of all slot machine creators. Since the advent of magnetic cards that players can use to obtain extra rewards, such as free hotel rooms, discovering the magic formula has become easier. These cards track player behavior and allow casino owners to offer the exact rewards that the data shows to keep them playing.

The concept of "flow"

Another psychological concept that has become a pillar of the industry is the idea of ​​"flow" by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the state in which a perfect storm of activity and desire coalesces to produce a mental state where hours seem to pass in minutes. Natasha Schüll, a professor at MIT, applied this concept to the world of slot machines.

During "flow," time accelerates (hours seem like minutes) or slows down (reactions can be made instantly), and the mind reaches an almost euphoric state of equilibrium. Schüll, in his book, describes Csikszentmihalyi's four criteria for flow: "First, each moment of activity must have a small objective; second, the rules for achieving that objective must be clear; third, the activity must give immediate feedback; fourth, the tasks of the activity must be commensurate with the challenge."

For most of their history, slot machines easily fulfilled the first two criteria; after a while, they began to fulfill the third, and with the introduction of multiple paylines, endless bonus rounds, and the occasional mini-game, they finally fulfilled all four criteria.

It's easy to understand why the combination of a highly addictive interface and detailed consumer data has attracted Silicon Valley. Several large casinos and gaming brands have recently acquired smartphone gambling games, and Schüll says she is frequently approached by tech people who want to use her book to crack the slot machine secret. Tinder, in particular, has been cited as an example of this slot machine approach.

Using reward psychology to get customers to return is nothing new in any market, but with more quantifiable data available to support these hypotheses and studies, our experiences with technology may become more like an addiction than ever before.