Zoned in or zoned out? Investigating immersion in slot machine gambling using mobile eye‐tracking

Abstract

Background and Aims Immersion during slot machine gambling has been linked to disordered gambling. Current conceptualizations of immersion (namely dissociation, flow and the machine zone) make contrasting predictions as to whether gamblers are captivated by the game per se ('zoned in') or motivated by the escape that immersion provides ('zoned out'). We examined whether selected eye-movement metrics can distinguish between these predictions. Design and Setting Pre-registered, correlational analysis in a laboratory setting. Participants gambled on a genuine slot machine for 20 minutes while wearing eye-tracking glasses. Participants Fifty-three adult slot machine gamblers who were not high-risk problem gamblers. Measurements We examined self-reported immersion during the gambling session and eye movements at different areas of the slot machine screen (the reels, the credit window, etc.). We further explored these variables' relationships with saccade count and amplitude. Findings The ratio of dwell time on the game's credit window relative to the game's reels was positively associated with immersion (t (51) = 1.68, P = 0.049 one-tailed, R 2 = 0.05). Follow-up analyses described event-related changes in these patterns following different spin outcomes.Conclusions Immersion while gambling on a slot machine appears to be associated with active scanning of the game and a focus on the game's credit window. These results are more consistent with a 'zoned in' account of immersion aligned with flow theory than a 'zoned out' account based on escape.

Online gambling venues as relational actors in addiction: Applying the actor-network approach to life stories of online gamblers

“…Instead, when the attachments of OGVs start to act as a ‘fluid’ or a ‘bush fire’, they become mediators of othering and juxtapose the actor networks of ‘normal life’ with gambling ( Law, 2011 ). In the ensuing struggle, the gambling-related assemblages first circulate a zone ( Murch et al., 2019 ; Schüll, 2012 ) that provides momentary escape, trance or excitement away from the hardships of everyday life. When the difficulties become too big to overcome, they lose their ability to convey this relief, and are translated to distribute the opposite emotion.…”

Commentary on Murch et al. (2020): ‘When viewing is already gambling'—the need for eye‐tracking research to examine sports betting cue–reactivity

“…Murch et al . demonstrated that specific patterns of eye movements (i.e. percentage of eye fixation on the game's credit window) offer a relevant marker of gambling‐related immersion experience among a sample of slot‐machine gamblers.…”

“…The present commentary proposes that research on gambling disorders capitalize on the findings from Murch et al . to progress towards a fine‐grained understanding of an increasingly popular gambling habit, namely sports betting. Through easy access from a computer, tablet or telephone it is now possible to gamble on any sports event at any moment, such as before or during a game in play, and while being exposed to a high number of sports betting advertisements .…”

“…Moreover, in reference to Murch et al . , the investigation of eye movements pertaining to gambling immersion seems particularly relevant to sports betting, as it binds gambling to sports watching (i.e. both activities related to high levels of passionate and immersive engagement ).…”

“…For instance, Murch et al . ran a convenience‐sampled pilot study before undertaking their main study. This insightful procedure allowed these authors to develop data‐driven pre‐registered hypotheses.…”