Changes [Apr 01, 2008]
Ten Things 2007: Pe...
"You know it becomes a problem when it becomes emotional, something you can't do without."
This statement—made by an ex-gambler who had been hooked on slot machines since he was ten years old—gives us a glimpse into the powerful and controlling grip that slot machines and other forms of gambling could come to have on one’s life. Yet, the statement hardly comes as a surprise to many of us; after all, gambling as a growing social problem is a fairly well-known and well-publicized phenomenon. Reports about problem gamblers and ruined lives abound on small-town weekly newspapers and the New York Times alike, to such a degree that we have grown almost insensitive to them.
Yet, it cannot be denied that the issue remains to be an important one—one with real consequences and unanswered questions. Indeed, much research has been devoted to studying gambling behavior from various points of view, including the psychological, social, economic, and political bases and implications of gambling. And although gambling is as old as human civilization, slot machines are a relatively new variant on this age-old form of entertainment that have enjoyed explosive popularity since their introduction, and are now virtually ubiquitous in casinos and saloons everywhere. Focusing on slot machines reveals and inspires the study of many sociological issues that have come to express themselves specifically and notably on these machines. Here, we examine a number of these issues, attempting to link slot machines to them in an effort to better understand and explain them.
Tracing Technology and its Effects on Slot Machines
The Psychology of the Slot Machine
$pringfield: Gambling and Slot Machines in Popular Culture
Our Experience with an Online Slot Machine Simulator
The Slot Machine: Concluding Remarks
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Krigman, Alan. "If Pavlov Played the Slots, He wouldn't Have Needed a Dog." Casino City Times. April 12, 2004. http://krigman.casinocitytimes.com/articles/10510.html
Brokopp, John G. "A Study in Slot Machine Research and Development." Casino City Times. November 30, 2005. http://brokopp.casinocitytimes.com/articles/23251.html
Burnell, Paul. "My life in slot machine slavery." BBC News. October 19, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/3736230.stm
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Friedman, B. (2000). Designing casinos to dominate the competition. Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming: Reno, Nevada.
Finlay, Karen. "Spatial Design within Casinos: Effects on Emotional Responses and Irresponsible Gambling Behavior." University of Guelph. 2006.
