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Online slots could be particularly susceptible to cannibalization from the online lotto, especially if the lotto games bear structural similarities to traditional virtual one-armed bandits.
From the looks of online lotto rollouts in other states, they do.
When one purchases a scratch-off in a store, the brief rush of excitement comes from the only functional part of gameplay –
scraping away a thin layer of opaque ink to discover if the purchase has any value. It only consumes a trivial amount of time,
but the majority of online instant games have done away with this allowing the player to reveal every hidden number with a single click.
In order to compensate for that decreased anticipation the games have minor special effects added, brightly flashing animations and celebratory music to trigger dopamine receptors. Sound familiar?
These are the same techniques used in both online and in brick and mortar slot machines to entice people to continue playing.
Additionally, the interface for most of these games also emulates online slot software,
with similar controls to adjust the value of the bet in ways not common to scratch-off tickets.
Several games also give the player a chance to unlock a brief “bonus game” mode with increased visual effects and different gameplay,
an option that is not possible with a retail ticket but a popular hallmark of slot machines.
Further, while the instant games have clearly been modeled after online slots, they do not do a great job of imitation.
The glitz and pomp of games at current online casinos far outweighs the minimal musical and graphics added to instant games,
leaving the experience hollow. In many cases it is still little more than “press button to see if you already won or lost.”
While the risk presented is greater than previous concerns of online games competing with real-world gambling,
there is every likelihood that the current audiences of these options will stick with their existing preferences.
Online slots could be particularly susceptible to cannibalization from the online lotto, especially if the lotto games bear structural similarities to traditional virtual one-armed bandits.
From the looks of online lotto rollouts in other states, they do.
When one purchases a scratch-off in a store, the brief rush of excitement comes from the only functional part of gameplay –
scraping away a thin layer of opaque ink to discover if the purchase has any value. It only consumes a trivial amount of time,
but the majority of online instant games have done away with this allowing the player to reveal every hidden number with a single click.
In order to compensate for that decreased anticipation the games have minor special effects added, brightly flashing animations and celebratory music to trigger dopamine receptors. Sound familiar?
These are the same techniques used in both online and in brick and mortar slot machines to entice people to continue playing.
Additionally, the interface for most of these games also emulates online slot software,
with similar controls to adjust the value of the bet in ways not common to scratch-off tickets.
Several games also give the player a chance to unlock a brief “bonus game” mode with increased visual effects and different gameplay,
an option that is not possible with a retail ticket but a popular hallmark of slot machines.
Further, while the instant games have clearly been modeled after online slots, they do not do a great job of imitation.
The glitz and pomp of games at current online casinos far outweighs the minimal musical and graphics added to instant games,
leaving the experience hollow. In many cases it is still little more than “press button to see if you already won or lost.”
While the risk presented is greater than previous concerns of online games competing with real-world gambling,
there is every likelihood that the current audiences of these options will stick with their existing preferences.
