Thousands of studies have been done on music, covering everything from its history to the relationship between our preferred musical styles and our intelligence. Some such studies also take into account how casinos use music to influence their customers’ behavior. Gambling specialist Anna Rosak is familiar with this scientific research in general and has even participated in several studies herself.
“Anyone who thinks music doesn’t affect them or their gaming habits is just plain wrong. Just think about how heavy metal can make you push the gas pedal when driving a car or how Studio 54 hits make you want to dance, so why would gambling be any different?” she asks.
Upbeat vs. Slow and Low Music
One of the biggest studies on this topic was done in 2014 by a team of scientists and published in the prestigious Journal of Behavioral Addictions. The team did a simple test with a group of 100 students whose results were shocking. Upbeat music forced casino players to act quickly and keep a much faster pace when placing bets. Surprisingly, slower music did not motivate them to stop the activity but motivated them to have longer sessions. The type of music played did not affect their success, so there is no such thing as “winning music” in any way.
According to a study conducted by the University of Sheffield, casino managers and floor managers still monitor crowd levels and manipulate their behavior to some extent. From a series of interviews on which the study was based, it became clear how managers have some autonomy in soundtrack selection but still have to keep in mind brand reputation, target audience, and ethical business practices. Ultimately, their hands are quite tied, and they only have a choice between a couple of playlists.
“Of course, anyone may have a song that makes them feel like a winner, but ultimately, that comes down to luck most of the time. Even poker players who have massive playlists for tournaments that last for days only use it as a buffer between them and the chatter happening in the poker room,” explains Anna Rosak.
In her opinion, music is just one of many factors that can influence your overall gaming experience. She considers the player’s psychological state to be much more important: “If you’re stressed, chasing losses, or feeling vengeful, I don’t need scientific studies to tell you’re probably not the most responsible gambler. The music playing is completely irrelevant to you.”
Land-Based vs. Online Casinos
And while land-based casinos can blast any music they want over their speakers, online casinos don’t have that capability. That doesn’t mean, however, that you play online casino games in complete silence. Music is more important than ever in online sites with new casinos, and it’s integrated into the game.
Table games that appeal to a more conservative audience tend to use “elevator music.” This style of music is also quite common in fixed casinos in Australia, such as Crown Casino. It’s not offensive to the ear and has a calming effect, which helps players feel like they’re in a high-end private gambling club. Pokies, on the other hand, are more creative.
“If you play Egyptian pokies, there are flutes and all kinds of Arabian music, Irish pokies come with cheerful tunes and sci-fi games with dance and techno sounds. Sometimes the musical theme fits the game perfectly, and sometimes…well, maybe you’d want to turn off the sound,” Anna admits. She also revealed a few games, led by the hugely popular Ultra Hot Deluxe, where the music is so integral to the whole gaming experience that you’d want to turn the volume up to the max.
“Guns N’ Roses pokie is an obvious choice, but mostly because of the musical genius of the grunge giants. Book of the Dead has a mysterious soundtrack that makes you feel like you’re in a pharaoh’s tomb. The Hotline series’ music is such an awesome throwback to the 80s that you just love it,” claims our expert.
When it comes to online gambling, content providers have all the creative freedom they need to make great music. But, like pop charts, there are some musical scores that are flops and don’t help at all. The gambling audience is becoming more demanding by the day and content providers need to focus not only on making players want to spend more but also on fulfilling any expectations a customer may have. Ultimately, it comes down to the whole package — music, visuals, features but above all, game mechanics that give every player a fair chance at hitting those winning lines.
