The Effects of Sensory Feedback on Simulated Online Slot Machine Gambling

Objective: A prominent feature of land-based and online slot machines is audiovisual feedback that accompanies winning outcomes. Prior laboratory work suggests that this design feature may influence game experience, facilitate immersion, increase arousal, and promote riskier decision making, but whether this generalizes to realistic gambling products remains unclear. In this pre-registered study, we used a realistic slot machine simulator, deployed online, to evaluate effects of win-accompanying sensory feedback (SF) on gambling experience and behavior. Method: Participants were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and stratified as online active gamblers (AG) or non-gamblers (NG). Participants were randomly assigned to complete 200 spins on an online slot machine that featured either enhanced or diminished SF. Results: Enhanced SF reduced time to initiate spins (i.e. faster speed of play) but did not affect bet size or self-reported experience. Relative to NG, AG reported greater game immersion and positive affect during the game, and these variables were also predicted across all participants by greater problem gambling severity, and monetary gains in the gambling session. In addition, self-reported immersion and affect were predicted by ADHD and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Faster gambling under SF may incur greater losses over time, raising concerns about harm potential. By contrast, game experience was influenced by monetary outcomes and personal characteristics rather than SF. Overall, these findings support the notion that both product and personal characteristics confer risk of harm.