This research examined gambling immersion in people who used slot machines. It used eye movement tracking to explore if immersion was more characteristic of ‘zoning in’ or ‘zoning out’. The researchers recruited 53 adults who gambled on slot machines. Results showed that immersed participants had more severe gambling problems and higher illusions of control. They spent relatively more time looking at the device’s credit display (which showed financial information), and less time on the reels which were more visually stimulating. Immersed participants were also more thorough in inspecting different parts of the device screen. This study concluded that slot machine gambling immersion was more consistent with the ‘zoned in’ explanation.
