"Losses disguised as wins" in electronic gambling machines contribute to win overestimation in a large online sample.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Losses disguised as wins (LDWs) are a salient type of losing outcome common to electronic gambling machines (EGMs). These events occur when a gambling payout is less than the amount wagered (i.e., a net loss) but is nonetheless accompanied by the sounds and animations that accompany genuine wins. Previous lab-based studies have reported that participants tend to overestimate genuine wins when LDWs are present. This study reports an independent replication of these findings in a large online sample that included a substantial number of individuals reporting high-risk gambling and frequent EGM users.

Methods

This online study recruited a sample of 940 participants who were randomly assigned to view one of two brief videos. Each video displayed a short period of si

SUBMITTER: Myles D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10758393 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature