Abstract

Video lotteries seem to be one of the most profitable games for the gambling industry and are reported as the game of choice for many problem gamblers. Their popularity or, in some cases, their addictiveness, might be related to their structural characteristics: reinforcement schedule, lights, appearance, sound, and speed. We investigated the effects of video lottery game speed on concentration, motivation to play, loss of control, and number of games played. Forty-three participants were randomly assigned to either a high-speed (5 seconds) or a low-speed (15 seconds) condition. Results: gamblers in the high-speed condition played more games and underestimated the number of games played more than did participants in the low-speed condition. However, speed did not influence concentration, motivation, or loss of control over time or money. Conclusion: speed has a limited impact on occasional video lottery gamblers. The theoretical and practical implications of speed are discussed in the context of responsible gambling policies.

Full Text
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