Utilising sound to create an environment that excites and inspires gamblers can encourage more risk taking; especially when winning sounds are coupled with visual feedback such as flashing lights.
An ANOVA conducted on participants’ preferences regarding Sound Condition and Gambling Status revealed a main effect for Sound Condition; participants preferred playing sessions where wins were accompanied by audible sounds.
Background Sounds
Casinos use sound effects designed to create an engaging gambling environment, from slot machine chimes and jingles to music that relaxes you, these sounds serve to stimulate both senses and emotions, keeping players involved with the game for as long as possible.
One study observed participants playing a realistic multiline slot machine simulator both with and without background music, using custom-created rolling and winning jingles as wins and losses were signalled, while visual celebratory feedback alone provided positive reinforcement during gameplay in the sound-off condition. Skin conductance responses as well as heart rate deceleration was recorded to assess psychophysiological responses during gameplay.
Results indicated that music played an influential role in how gamblers perceive how often they won. Participants overestimated their number of wins when sound was on, relative to when silence prevailed. The effect was amplified when losses came with sound signals of winning money accompanied by winning sounds; overestimation increased 15 percent further in such instances.
Music
Music plays an essential part in casinos, and not just any tune will do: world musicians compose custom pieces specifically chosen to fit each hall. As a result, its presence can drastically change guests’ emotions and encourage more gambling activity.
Music can provide the perfect way to break up repetitive actions. Instrumental melodies with rhythmic beats are especially good at this, creating a pleasant ambience in casinos while keeping players from getting tired of pushing buttons all at once.
Recently, researchers conducted an experiment where participants played a simulated slot machine while electrodes attached to their skin measured changes in skin conductance (a measure of arousal). Results revealed that most participants preferred sessions in which wins were accompanied by sound rather than those without it; suggesting the sounds contribute significantly to modern multiline slot game arousal and gambling behavior.
Ringing Bells or Sirens
Sounds from slot machines and other gambling games add an air of anticipation and excitement, creating the sense that a player is winning more often than losing, encouraging them to continue gambling and increase spending.
Researchers from the University of Alberta recently conducted an experiment to explore whether sound is associated with increased levels of arousal when playing modern multiline slot machine play. Participants took part in two sessions on an authentic multiline slot machine simulator; during one (sound-on), winnings and losses were accompanied by custom-created rolling sounds and winning jingles while wins/losses occurred silently; skin conductance responses and subjective arousal ratings were collected during both.
Results revealed that both skin conductance and arousal ratings were higher during the sound-on block than during its sound-off counterpart. There was also a main effect of Gambling Status; moderate-risk and problem gamblers reported higher win estimates than low frequency non-problem gamblers.
Free Drinks
Casinos understand that providing free drinks will entice gamblers to take more risks and spend money, increasing profits for them in the process. Studies have demonstrated how being tipsy causes poor decisions to be made more easily and leads them to bet more recklessly, thus increasing profits at casinos. Furthermore, music and sound effects within casinos may encourage gambling behavior; researchers found a low-tempo soundtrack encouraged slot machine players to play longer while high-tempo music increased speed of responding to bets which led them to bet more often and aggressively which led them into wagering more aggressive behavior which led to greater losses at casinos overall.