Slots fans come in all shapes and sizes. Everyone chooses to play casino games for different reasons and this information is incredibly important to casino operators. It is also significant when determining the causes of problem gambling as well as devising treatment methods.
A new study by business academic Sandy Chen ("Segmenting Slot Machine Players: A Factor-Cluster Analysis") delves into this issue, determining the different types of slots players that exist in the gambling world.
What might come as a surprise to most people is that not all slots players are elderly individuals with excess time on their hands.
The same stereotype that occurs with bingo is also prevalent for slot machines, as many people believe that slots players belong to a much older demographic. Chen’s study puts these thoughts to rest. She outlines four distinctly different types of slots players.
They are:
Utilitarian
Utilitarian slots players are more focused on playing these games as a functional experience. They are not thrill-seekers and they are not particularly interested in winning large sums of money.
In fact, they are only interested in playing slots to combat boredom. As such, utilitarian slots players do not spend a great deal of money while gambling.
Excitement
Excitement players are those that are interested in the thrill of the chase. They enjoy hitting wins, regardless of how big each prize is. So, they are interested in playing games with high volatility and small prizes as opposed to playing games with big, progressive prizes that do not pay out often.
Games with unique features, such as Tumbling Reels, will appeal to excitement gamblers.
Multipurpose
These types of players are part of a unique demographic. They are young, single and likely to possess a lower level of education than the other types of slots players.
These players also have lower incomes. As such, multipurpose gamblers play slots in pursuit of a big win. They are more attracted to progressive slots and games with flashy themes.
Relaxation
Relaxation gamblers seem to be the complete opposition of multipurpose slots players with a higher income and level of education. As such, it is not as important for these players to hit a huge payday. Instead, they prefer to play slots simply to relax and unwind. Since they only play for fun, their wagers do not exceed $1 per spin.
It is interesting to see such an in-depth study on the types of slots players that are out there. We feel that there isn’t nearly enough research on slot machines, and this offers up some great insight for just about anyone who is involved in the gaming market – from players to operators.
So, which one of these categories do you think you fall into?
