March 25, 2020

For many people, social media is now a daily part of life. But did you know that slot machine psychology is woven into its design? One may struggle to see the connection between social media’s spiraling omnipresence and a practice that dates back to the Paleolithic period, before written history began, but social media has recently faced criticism for its addictive qualities and parallels with slots.

Many users, including some of Silicon Valley’s biggest tech players, have decided to curb their time on social media, even going so far as to install apps to control their usage. Those not as switched on, however, are facing increasing addiction to their devices. As of 2019, the number of internet users worldwide is 4.38 billion, and the number of those internet users engaging on social media is 3.484 billion, up 9% year-on-year.

Another industry booming, the engagement seen in the world of gambling has risen to a mammoth $25.69 billion—partially down to growth in online gambling, and particularly the rise of virtual one-armed bandits; from online slot games UK all the way to the pokies of Australia.

To read the full story on how slot machine psychology is used in social media, visit We Heart.