Slot is a narrow opening, as in a hole or groove, into which something fits (the coin was slotted into the machine). It may also refer to a position or place in a group, series or sequence (he slotted himself into the first available seat).
A random number generator, or RNG, is a microcomputer inside a slot machine that selects impartially and randomly an assortment of numbers or symbols. These symbols correspond to various payouts. These computerized devices have a house edge, or percentage of the money they will return to players over time. Casino operators are wary of raising this house advantage too much, because they believe that slot players can detect concealed price increases and will switch to competing casinos.
This study introduces two new measures of reward reactivity, PRP and force as a function of win size, that gauge how much slot players enjoy play. These measures are unobtrusive, compared to other psychophysiological measurements involving cumbersome electrodes and wires that reduce ecological validity and may inhibit flow. They are based on the fact that when players spin and lose, the machine does not provide any visual or auditory feedback; but when they win, it provides extensive feedback, including celebratory sounds and animations. In this way, these new measures allow us to disentangle aspects of enjoyment attributable to flow from those attributable to rewards. In addition, they make it possible to compare the effects of different types of games.