There are lots of things that keep casino players coming back for more, from the dopamine rush of hitting a win to being enticed by the rewards that increase as you make more progress or play more regularly.
Some of the factors that make you keep spinning are fairly obvious and you know that you are being drawn in by them. However, there are more subtle details within iGaming that you might not realize are impacting your choices.
We’re referring to the clever design tricks that developers incorporate into the game to maintain your interest for longer and to trigger psychological responses. These are five of the most common design tricks the casino apps use to keep you spinning:
Fast Cycles
Of course you don’t want there to be long delays between every spin because this can be frustrating but game designs make the spins as fast as possible so that you can make more spins in a certain time period.
This puts you into a continuous cycle of quickly tapping to respin which prevents you from reflecting on how much money you have spent or how long you have been playing for.
Regulated slots in Canada still have to comply with responsible gambling rules, for example, providing tools to allow players to set limits or sending alerts to remind players of the length of their playing session.
Some countries or provinces have minimum spin times for slots, which in Ontario is 2.5 seconds under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s regulations. However, in countries with less strict regulations, there are no minimum spin times, which can lead to players quickly playing through their funds.
Sensory Overloads
Another clever trick that game designers use is sensory overload through sounds and visuals that makes you think you have received a great reward. Confetti animations, fireworks, flashing lights and celebratory cheers are often played when you hit even a small win or when a bonus feature is awarded, even if you don’t go on to win from it.
This gives players a sense that they are celebrating a success, spurring them on to continue playing and downplaying losses. The combination of visual and audio triggers provides a spike in dopamine levels, even if the win is lower than your bet amount.
Variable Rewards
Reward systems are a big attraction in slot games and variable rewards that are presented at random times help to build anticipation of the next reward. As players don’t know exactly when a reward will be provided, they keep playing thinking it is just around the corner. The bonus might be a free spin, which isn’t much if you are carrying on playing longer than you would normally, just to receive it.
Also, the variation in the different types of bonuses adds to the anticipation, as players imagine the best possible outcome, which is rarely the reward that they actually receive.
Near-Miss Psychology
Like a carrot being dangled in front of you, game designs often emphasize near misses, for example, the jackpot line is out by just one symbol. Or it could be that you come agonizingly close to triggering a bonus round. This gives players the feeling that they are getting closer to the jackpot or getting into the bonus round and they carry on playing in the belief that it is just a matter of time before they receive what is being teased by the game.
Gamification
Lots of casinos now use gamification within the design such as progressing through levels to unlock new rewards. They also use gamification features such as missions to win X amount of times in a day. Other gamification features that keep players spinning include social leaderboards, providing players with added motivation to keep playing so they can overtake their peers to claim the top spots on the leadership board.
Even gamification designs as simple as progress bars that are not linked to rewards can have a psychological effect on players. The more of the bar that they complete, the more satisfaction they feel that they are achieving something, even if it does not equate to more funds in their betting account.
These are just some of the common design tricks incorporated into casino games but there are many more. Understanding what these tricks are and how they work can help you to avoid getting pulled into spinning for longer than you intend to. You can also set up limits to restrict the amounts you deposit, set a maximum loss amount or limit session times to ensure you are gambling responsibly and taking breaks at regular intervals.