Slot is a type of casino game that depends on chance and has no predetermined result. It is a popular game that can be played on mobile devices, PCs and even VR headsets. Players can earn real money by winning prizes and bonuses. They can also use these games to test their skills and strategies before gambling with real money.

The present experiment examined the relationship between in-game reward reactivity and feelings of enjoyment during slots play. A force transducer was fixed underneath the spin button of the simulators, and when pressed to initiate a spin, the force was converted to a volt signal that was recorded by an AD Instruments PowerLabs device (Colorado Springs, CO, USA) and saved in LabChart software. The PRP measure of in-game reward reactivity was positively correlated with positive affect ratings, and the force measure was negatively correlated with depression scores. Both measures were not influenced by the presence of dark flow in the session.

The results suggest that the arousal evoked by a high-frequency reinforcement schedule may be the key to slots’ appeal. Furthermore, the reactivity of in-game rewards was a significant predictor of the degree to which participants reported enjoying their slots sessions. These findings provide a novel route to understanding the nature of enjoyment in gambling, and highlight some of the factors that might be involved in the development of serious problem gambling behaviors. These are potentially devastating to individuals’ health and wellbeing, causing significant financial losses, difficulties in family and work life, and even involvement in criminal activities to support gambling habits (Lahn, 2005). A small but significant percentage of gamblers report severe gambling-related problems.