Secrets Revealed:Answering the biggest

question in social CasinoAl Thomas

Managing Director, Product ConsultationEilers & Krejcik Gaming

IntroductionMy first conference as a game developer.

1983 CES Consumer Electronics ShowLas Vegas, Nevada

Secrets Revealed:

Four Big Myths and Misconceptions about Gamblers

Understanding the PSYCHOLOGYof GAMBLING

is important…

…but the NEUROSCIENCEof GAMBLING

helps us truly understand the motivation of

gamblers

The casino gaming industry hates this word…

“Addiction” is a very specific, clinical term

and should not be used lightly

Technology allows us to peer inside

the gambler’s brain while they

are playing a gambling game

The same regions of the brain of a

gambling addict are activated during a

reel spin as when a person with a

chemical addiction is anticipating a “hit”

Just because we know how

players become addicted

doesn’t mean we should turn to the dark side

SLOT DESIGN SECRETS: How to turn players into mindless, money spending, gambling robots

Social casino game mechanics

may inadvertently interfere with the spiral of addiction

Players want their money close…

just not too close!

Having a gambling addict in your casino is

NOT a good thing.

You want to create an

experience that will “figuratively” scares people to

death…

…not one that actually does!

Don’t Forget:Gamblers are a moving target

Veteran players may out grow the thrills

that first excited them

With careful player research

you can really see what players like

and don’t like

“Australians”

“SERIOUS” Gamblers

The “Serious” gambler regularly commits blocks of time and are not

afraid to monetize.

They’re not ADDICTS, they’re FANATICS

Four Myths and Misconceptions about

SERIOUS Gamblers

Myth #1They have FUN

Gambling

Players don’t have fun

GAMBLING

They have funWINNING

A fun, engaging experience can

distract you from the potential

negatives

Pleasure may not be the same thing

as FUN, but it feels pretty good

Myth #2Gambling is

PLEASURABLE

Why have ENOUGH when you can have TOO MUCH

This is the face of PLEASURE

The PAIN of LOSS, the JOY of WINNING and the ANTICIPATION of an UNKNOWN

OUTCOME all combine to create TENSION.

And it’s the RELIEF from this TENSION that creates the PLEASURE of GAMBLING

Pleasure comes from the SCRATCH

…not the ITCH!

Myth #3RELEASE of TENSION is the most important part of a

Casino Game

Just because players love the

SCRATCH doesn’t mean they seek out

the ITCH

OUR job is:To Provide a FUN and ENTERTAINING experience, driven by a mathematical

cycle of TENSION and RELIEF, that ENGAGES players LONG ENOUGH for them to feel the COMPULSION to come back and

play again and again. Until it’s a HABIT

If a movie is engaging

enough then eating popcorn

becomes automatic

•Hardwired for Pattern Recognition

•BF Skinner’s Variable Ratio and Schedule of Rewards

•Zeigarnik effect of Incomplete Tasks

Myth #4If you can’t win MONEY, then it’s NOT GAMBLING

Gambling is not about WINNING money, and it’s not about LOSING money,

it’s about RISKING something of VALUE.

“Cookie Jar Gamblers” don’t use winnings to pay bills or buy food…

Gambling winnings are used for more gambling!

A SERIOUS GAMBLER who LOSES, will put more money in to “RECOVER” losses.

But when they WIN, they often INCREASE their bets and take bigger

RISKS to win some “SERIOUS MONEY”

There’s a reason why casinos prefer to use

“tokenized” chips for wagering

There’s very little difference between

money and “money” in the

mind of a gambler

THANK YOU for your ATTENTION

…and apologies to any Australians in the audience

For information on design, research or consulting services, please contact:

D.J. Leary,Director of Business Development

- dleary@ekgamingllc.com

Addiction can lead to cheating,

negative press, criminal behavior

and the potentially of strict, regulatory

oversight