For every 100 slot machine players, there is one pathological gambling addict.

"In 'Addiction by Design,' it is mentioned that among slot machine players, about 1 in every 100 develops into a 'pathological gambler.' This 1% is not randomly generated but is highly related to their original psychological state and life difficulties.

The truth we need to study and understand is that the initial motivation of these 1% of people is not entirely for gambling.

Some are due to work stress, depression from divorce, others due to loneliness, and some just because life is too boring. Thus, they enter the casino, sit in front of the slot machines, and stay there for eight hours without drinking water, eating, or going to the bathroom, all to relieve their emotions. They are tormented by emotions, pitiful people, but at the same time, they are the most stable patrons for the house.

It's not 'winning money' that is addictive, but the ability to enter the 'free interval.'

The so-called 'free interval' is a sense of immersion, a state of complete detachment from reality. The real driving force behind addiction is not entirely winning money, but escaping reality and emotional numbness. In this state, players ignore losses, the passage of time, and reason, entering a mechanical cycle of just wanting to 'keep clicking.' Slot machines provide this stable, controllable 'illusion of control': they not only stimulate dopamine but also provide a false emotional haven.

Addicts usually have underlying psychological or emotional issues.

Extensive field interviews in the book show that players who are truly addicted to slot machines almost all have traumatic experiences: depression, loneliness, unemployment, loss of loved ones... The rhythm of slot machines, 'continuous input → brief feedback → betting again,' acts like an emotional pain relief patch, giving them a brief respite. You think they are chasing big prizes, but actually, they are escaping life.

The most terrifying part is: this 1% of players contribute 30% of the revenue.

These highly uncontrollable, emotionally trapped pathological gamblers support 30% of the house's profits. It is worth mentioning that the higher the wealth, the higher the proportion of emotionally trapped individuals.

Among all types of gambling, slot machines have the highest rate of pathological addiction, about 1%; sports betting is about 0.3% to 0.5%; poker and lottery are about 0.5% to 1% and about 0.2%, respectively.

Understanding these truths, to put it bluntly, is to achieve 'knowing oneself and the enemy' in managing the betting house, precisely targeting that 1% to expand revenue. From the perspective of the law of the jungle, they are emotionally fragile, so they can only be exploited. From a hypocritical standpoint, they are certainly pitiful people worthy of sympathy. But honestly, if you are too committed to ethics and morals in the gambling industry, you are destined to be at the bottom of the food chain. Because those you sympathize with are the ones you rely on for a living.

Let's not discuss values, it's too heavy.

From an application perspective, this can be used as a foundation to find application scenarios. For example, if you are a betting house operator, you can identify such pathological gamblers through the duration of player entertainment and fluctuations in betting amounts, and provide targeted maintenance. If you are in marketing, the bigger the psychological issues of the target audience, the more likely they are to be your future big customers.

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