Virtual reality (VR) can be a useful tool in gambling studies. VR can be used to create realistic stimulations in a controlled environment. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of a VR-based slot machine task. The researchers measured physiological and behavioural responses during the VR gambling task. They also examined gambling-related, emotion-related, and personality factors that predicted problem gambling. Participants were 36 students between 18 and 20 years old who attended high schools in Italy. Participants completed a questionnaire and engaged in a virtual reality gambling scenario.
Participants with problem gambling were more sensitive to near-misses than those without problem gambling. They made more risky bets after near-misses than after losses. After a win, participants had higher decision times (i.e., took longer to initiate another spin) than after ties, losses, and near-misses. Participants also showed a gradual decrease in heart rate when anticipating the outcome.
