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DR. HARRIGAN: This is a game called Lobstermania, which is typical of slot machines that are
used in Ontario, and when the machine is not being used,
it's sitting there generating tens of thousands of random numbers per second.
When the player presses 'SPIN', the result is determined that instant.
The reels spin for about 5 or 6 seconds, and then the player sees the results.
Most machines in Ontario have a feature called a 'STOP' button, and it may
not actually be labeled 'STOP' button, but it's a way of speeding up play so that when
the reels are spinning we can stop those reels from spinning.
So on this particular machine, if we press the spin button
and press it again quickly, the result comes up quickly.
It doesn't affect the outcome, because the outcome has been predetermined by the random
numbers, but it does speed up play and allow the player
to see the result faster.
On the touchscreen games like Lobstermania, you can also stop individual reels. I'll show
you an example of that; I'll spin and then stop reel number 5.
So, that is another way that the player can interact with the game as the game is being
played.
Oftentimes when you're in a casino, you'll see players sort of hovering over the stop
button, trying to time things to have seemingly some control over the outcome.
It doesn't control the outcome, it just allows the player to see the result faster. So, we're
interested in this, from a research perspective, in what happens when you give that player
that illusion of control when in fact it is a random event.