How does the brain gamble? Part 1: color

Why do people gamble even if they know that the chances are not 100%? To win money? Not only. We play to win something intangible — because of the game itself.

Today we will look at several aspects:

• which hormone is responsible for enjoyment of the game
• how slots hold our attention with uncertainty and color

How does the brain encourage us to play?

There is a neurotransmitter in our brain that is responsible for our desires and pleasure:

It’s Majesty Dopamine

The dopamine is produced when you eat chocolate, listen to your favorite song or obviously play games. Some activities give you a slight pleasant aftertaste, while others provide feelings comparable to incredible euphoria. Games fall into the last category.

When you reach a new level, or get a trophy, you feel like a winner and the king of the world. We win — we are happy. Our brain enjoys this feeling and requires us to repeat this pleasant gaming experience.

How do slots manage our expectations?

However, in gambling, it’s not so obvious. We don’t beat the game that often, why do we keep getting involved? There are many reasons, but we will consider the main ones — uncertainty and color.

We like uncertainty

Paradoxically, we are happy with any result that we did not expect to receive while playing slots. For example, It is impossible to predict what symbols will appear on the reels after a spin. Surprisingly, any result — winning or losing, will cause a surge of hormones in our psyche.

We can not win every time, but just feel that we are close to reward — this allows us to feel on the top of the world.

Colors change our mood

Game designers are more likely to capture your attention even before you make the first spin — they use a specific color palette. A certain color evokes an emotional response in us. For example, red motivates you to think faster, while green relieves tension and calms.

We’ll share a little tip for you — choose games according to your mood😉  Wanna play something dynamic, exciting and bright? Choose oriental-themed slots. Prefer more calm and meditative playing style? Slots with natural setting are your best choice.

Let’s consider the slots of the Gamebeat development studio in terms of color:

Sea Secret

Sea Secret is a game in a marine setting about a mermaid and her friends. The color palette in the slot is blue, symbolizing hope, intelligence, peace. It fits in perfectly with our idea that the game should be soothing and calming.

Buffalo Dale

Sea Secret is a game in a marine setting about a mermaid and her friends. The color palette in the slot is blue, symbolizing hope, intelligence, peace. It fits in perfectly with our idea that the game should be soothing and calming.

Remember that we are often controlled by what we are not aware of. Understanding exactly how dopamine, the expectation of winning and music affect our brain,  you can be sure — the game will end exactly whenever you want.

And you'll be the winner anyway 🏆