title: Jackpot Structural Features: Rollover Effect and Goal-Gradient Effect in EGM Gambling.
abstract: Relatively little research has been undertaken on the influence of jackpot structural features on electronic gaming machine (EGM) gambling behavior. This study considered two common features of EGM jackpots: progressive (i.e., the jackpot incrementally growing in value as players make additional bets), and deterministic (i.e., a guaranteed jackpot after a fixed number of bets, which is determined in advance and at random). Their joint influences on player betting behavior and the moderating role of jackpot size were investigated in a crossed-design experiment. Using real money, players gambled on a computer simulated EGM with real jackpot prizes of either $500 (i.e., small jackpot) or $25,000 (i.e., large jackpot). The results revealed three important findings. Firstly, players placed the largest bets (20.3 % higher than the average) on large jackpot EGMs that were represented to be deterministic and non-progressive. This finding was supportive of a hypothesized 'goal-gradient effect', whereby players might have felt subjectively close to an inevitable payoff for a high-value prize. Secondly, large jackpots that were non-deterministic and progressive also promoted high bet sizes (17.8 % higher than the average), resembling the 'rollover effect' demonstrated in lottery betting, whereby players might imagine that their large bets could be later recouped through a big win. Lastly, neither the hypothesized goal-gradient effect nor the rollover effect was evident among players betting on small jackpot machines. These findings suggest that certain high-value jackpot configurations may have intensifying effects on player behavior.
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Queensland, 4701, Australia. e.li@cqu.edu.au.
authors.forename: En
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Queensland, 4701, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rockloff
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Queensland, 4701, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Queensland, 4701, Australia.
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011998:Recreation; D012201:Reward; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept
keywords: Deterministic; Electronic gaming machine (EGM); Gambling intensity; Jackpot; Jackpot size; Progressive