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Slots and VLTs
Slot machines and Video Lottery Terminals are Electronic Gaming Machines often found in casinos, bars, and lounges.
In Saskatchewan, slot machines are located in casinos and VLTs are primarily found in licensed bars and lounges. Electronic Gaming Machines (EGM’s) are one of the most accessible forms of gambling with locations in nearly every community in Saskatchewan.
EGM’s are best known for their big screens, enticing sounds, and bright moving colours that are reminiscent of a carnival. Modern EGM’s may be designed to evoke feelings of nostalgia by emulating a popular TV game show, movie, or use Hollywood influences to help draw a player in.
Each machine contains a Random Number Generator (RNG), a computer chip that cycles through hundreds of numbers in seconds. The numbers are matched to the symbols on the reels. Once the button is hit, the RNG selects the random numbers, and the win or loss is instantly determined, then the symbols will appear on screen.
EGMs are a game of chance that require no skill and can be appealing because they are easy to play. With bright moving graphics and loud sounds these machines are designed to stimulate and excite the nervous system. The combination of the near miss and losses disguised as wins can result in a physiological reaction which a person has no control over. This can result in a feeling of excitement but also lead to difficulty regulating play.
This near miss, or, “almost win” occurs when two reels of a slot machine display the same symbol and the third wheel displays that symbol immediately above or below the pay-line. This is believed to motivate players to try again even though the winning odds have reset by the time they spin the wheels.
Losses Disguised as Wins (LDWs) occur when a player wins less than they wager, but the machine celebrates the net losses with flashing lines and winning sounds (e.g., bet a dollar, win back a dime).
These are only some examples of how these EGM’s have been designed to keep the players interested and spend the maximum amount of time on the device as possible.
