Dark Flow and Problem Gambling

A slot is a narrow opening for receiving or admitting something, such as a coin or letter. A slot may also refer to a position or assignment, as in a time slot on the television schedule or the chief copy editor’s job at a newspaper.

In addition to the visual appeal, slots are appealing to gamblers because of their speed of action and the high-fidelity, attention-grabbing music and animation that accompany winning or losing spins. In addition, the timing of wins and losses is uncertain. In contrast, some other gambling machines offer more concrete feedback, but even this type of machine cannot guarantee a specified payback percentage.

However, some gamblers develop gambling-related problems, which can be severe, ranging from mounting financial debt to family and personal issues to professional difficulties and involvement in illegal activities. Often, these problems are linked to the allure of slot play, and understanding the mechanisms behind this phenomenon can help to mitigate gambling harms.

In a recent study, Dixon and colleagues found that problem gambling and mindfulness outside of the slot environment predicted the degree to which participants experienced dark flow during slots play. However, their measures of reward reactivity (PRP and force as a function of win size) were not correlated with positive affect ratings or depression scores. This underscores that different aspects of slots enjoyment are influenced by various factors, and that the relationship between dark flow and negative affect is complex.