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Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas [1]

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Addiction-Design-Machine-Gambling-Veg...

edit: also vouching for not designing addictive products

The Classic "HOWTO" for software: Hooked by Nir Eyal (2009) https://amzn.com/dp/B00LMGLXTS

A New "History": Irresistible by Adam Alter (2017) https://amzn.com/dp/1594206643/

Your Recommendation: Addiction by Design by Natasha Dow Schüll (2014) https://amzn.com/dp/0691160880

⬐ NetOpWibby

Thanks for the links!

This is a fair position, but we shouldn't forget that companies have poured billions of dollars into making these "tools" as addictive as possible, because that's ultimately how they make their money. See [1] and [2] for more.

[1] - Addiction by Design (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Addiction-Design-Machine-Gambling-V...)

[2] - Chomsky on Advertising (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CFwSQiTu3I&t=186s)

There's a really good book about the design of the slot machines, called Addiction by Design. It talks about the different UI and design elements that go into keeping the gambler engaged and why they keep spending more money. It's a really amazing and enlightening book to read if you're interested in learning more about the mechanics of the slot machines and the designs of the casino.

https://www.amazon.com/Addiction-Design-Machine-Gambling-Veg...

⬐ mfringel

Seconded. There's a fascinating amount of detail about how slot machine technology has evolved for greater engagement over time.

⬐ pavel_lishin

I absolutely don't understand the draw of slot machines. I watched a woman playing a smartphone version on the subway; for three stops, she just kept hitting the "spin" button and watching the results.

I admit to not knowing how they work, but do they typically have any more interaction than "pull lever, sporadically receive reward"?

⬐ arrosenberg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operant_conditioning_chamber

This is the 101 explanation of the science at work. It's basically a conditioned response to dopamine caused by pulling the lever. At it's most basic level, if you are gambler, you pull the lever and get a neurotransmitter reward.

⬐ mikestew

See also: training my dogs. It is even referred to by some as turning training "into a slot machine". At first one rewards the dog every time they do what was asked. Later, the rewards are only sporadically given (the slot machine). You do a thing, maybe some coins or a piece of meat will come out. But the dog will continue to do what was asked even as the treats taper off. Eventually, out of habit and conditioning, the dog does what was asked without rewards being handed out. Also see also: the work of Pavlov.

The moral of the story is that if there were no profit motive on the part of the casinos, eventually gamblers could be conditioned to sit at a slot machine that has had the payout slot removed, thus explaining the woman playing "no payout" slots on her phone. I've often joked that my dogs must ask themselves sometimes, "he tells me to sit and my butt just hits the ground. Why? What's wrong with me?" One might get the same response from the woman were she able to give you an honest answer. Like my dogs, she has probably long since forgotten why she even plays slots on her phone.

⬐ AJ007

Doing a count of the number of casino games on the iOS top grossing list, gambling for no payout is a very big business.

⬐ eric_h

Gambling has never been about the money. Gambling is a drug, full stop. Its effects are slightly less pronounced when you can't withdraw your winnings, but you can certainly put money into those products.

⬐ kejaed

The latest episode of the Tim Ferriss show is a 2 hour interview with a Susan Garrett, a dog trainer and agility competitor. As a dog owner and someone who as gone through some dog training, and also as a new parent to a human puppy, I found it quite interesting and thought you might too.

http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/11/14/susan-garrett/

⬐ mikestew

Thanks for something different for my workday listening. As an owner of two knucklehead pit bulls, and a volunteer trainer at the local shelter, I'm a sucker for more dog training porn.

The training will probably come in handy for the human pup, too. As I watched the one set of friends who would tolerate a comparison between their offspring and dogs, and how they raised their kids, they probably got tired of me pointing out, "oh, so it's just like training dogs..". :-) I wish my old man was a little more into that whole "positive training" thing.

⬐ eric_h

I agree, I am not drawn to slot machines, even though I do enjoy gambling (primarily table games like craps and blackjack). The people I know who do enjoy slot machines have all had a pretty decent (>$1k) hit on one, and that has, it seems, sunk the hook into them.

I have played slots in the past when killing time in vegas (e.g. waiting for a flight), and I've always found that it's a really boring way to slowly spend $100.

I also have literally no idea wtf is going on on the screens of those things. At least with blackjack and craps, I know the odds and how the mechanics of the game actually work.

⬐ thefalcon

I have many favorite anecdotes from "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman" (of course) but one that always sticks with me is this:

The first time I was in Las Vegas I sat down and figured out the odds for everything, and I discovered that the odds for the crap table were something like .493. If I bet a dollar, it would only cost me 1.4 cents. So I thought to myself, “Why am I so reluctant to bet? It hardly costs anything!”

So I started betting, and right away I lost five dollars in succession—one, two, three, four, five. I was supposed to be out only seven cents; instead, I was five dollars behind! I’ve never gambled since then (with my own money, that is). I’m very lucky that I started off losing.

⬐ matwood

Look at many games. Diablo is just another version of the same basic premise. Do some action repeatedly looking for a reward.

⬐ joezydeco

Some do. A common example are secondary "bonus" games you can trigger by getting certain combinations on the main reel.

They give the player a semblance of control over the game, but in the end the math still works out just like a regular slot.

⬐ NTripleOne

As a Brit, before I was introduced into the world of online gambling and american-style slot machines, the only real way to actually make any money off of a UK slot machine (more commonly known over here as a fruit machine, as 99% of games use the classic array of fruits as pay symbols) was via the feature/bonus system that most of the games employ - actually landing a winning combination on the reels from pressing spin is a rarity.

No real point here, just an interesting difference between the fundamental payout systems two extremely similar yet almost overwhelmingly different types of machines use.

Also of note is that fruit machines use a 'full hopper' system of payouts, in which the machine will only give out small wins until the 'hopper' (which is really just a number set by the establishment's owner) is full, at which point the relatively big payouts start happening - again, compared to the usual system of American slot machines of "this machine will pay out 9X.X% of what's put into it". This system means that you can infact 'outplay' a fruit machine - by not playing it until you think the hopper is full (or close to it).

I've had many a cheap night out by watching punters on fruities and picking the right moment - and that look of pure defeat on the bloke's face who just abandoned the machine is priceless too (although I usually buy 'em a drink if they witness it, so as not to add insult to injury)

⬐ pimlottc

I recently had occasion to play a slot machine briefly to cash out some free credits and I was highly amused to find an option to have a split screen so you can watch TV while you play...

⬐ nommm-nommm

I didn't either but the article actually gave me a better understanding of it.

⬐ Forbo

Change that to opening a box of boosters. Same thing. "Open package, sporadically receive reward."

⬐ fapjacks

Immediately, your point comes across.

⬐ r00fus

Except, you have something (of debatable value but) tangible for your efforts. In some cases, the market value is clearly greater than your inputs.

I also fondly remember booster pack draft games - very fun and the "in" price is completely worth the time spent.

Slots give you exactly nothing except an empty wallet in most cases. At least if you play poker or blackjack you can interact with other humans...