We Are Gamblers

It was a typical Tuesday evening when I found myself mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, reading comments, sending a minimum of 2 TikToks per minute to my girlfriend… I hope she watches them all, by the way.

As I swiped through, today’s common thought struck me: Why couldn’t I stop? What was compelling me to keep going, even though I had intended to put my phone down minutes ago? This would only happen to me with games in the past, especially those lose streaks on League of Legends would drive me to play more and more.

As a product kiddo in the gaming industry for over 5 years, I’ve spent countless hours designing features and core mechanics to keep users engaged. But it wasn’t until that moment that I realised and conceptualised how much our digital world has started to resemble a casino floor.

I feel like this isn’t just about games any more. From social media to ride-sharing apps, the techniques once reserved for slot machines have sneaked their way into nearly every aspect of our digital lives.

The Slow Creep in Gaming

Let’s start where I (and probably most of us) first noticed this trend: games.

Mobile gaming. Remember Temple Run? Doodle Jump? These games were simple, addictive, and most importantly, felt like games. Sure, they had their hooks (mainly through randomised surprises in-game), but they were based on skill, timing, and the classic yet challenging fun.

PC. Here comes my favourite one. Loot boxes. Do I really need to say anything else?

Don’t get me wrong, I still love loot boxes. I’ve spent a considerable amount of money on Counter Strike and enjoyed every second of it. Gambler speaking? I don’t know.

Fast-forward to today — you already know which game genre I’m going to talk about. Not the casino games on mobile. They’re clear and direct, they’re casino games.

I want to talk about what I call “the casual rollers”, like Monopoly GO.

Look, I love these games. They’re truly fun, especially with the social aspect, yet, we’ll need to think through it’s little casino-like surprises.

Yes, casino-like. Truly, I am simply struck by how much it feels like I’m in a virtual casino rather than playing a board game. The constant flashing lights, the anticipation of each dice roll, the slot machine-style mini-games — I’m sure it would feel familiar if I was visiting Las Vegas.

But how did we get here? Obviously, this shift didn’t happen overnight. It started innocently enough with randomised rewards. Remember the excitement of opening a chest in Clash Royale? Then came gacha mechanics, battle passes, and timed events. Each addition made games more engaging, sure, but also pushed them closer to gambling territory.

What’s fascinating is how these features have moved from the periphery to the core of game design. It’s no longer just about progression or cosmetics. In many mobile games, the main gameplay loop itself now revolves around chance-based mechanics that wouldn’t look out of place on a casino floor.

It’s Everywhere

Now, let’s go back to that TikTok session I mentioned earlier. I’d really prefer not to mention the typical tech-bro podcast clichés, yet I will. I’m talking about stuff like how the act of swiping in your FYP feels like pulling a slot machine lever. Not just the physical input itself; each swipe brings the possibility of a new video, funny videos, interesting content, cute dogs… Simply variable rewards that keep us coming back for more.

Or let’s take Instagram’s “Explore” page, which is particularly ingenious in this regard. It’s a carefully curated mix of content you’re “likely” to enjoy, interspersed with sponsored posts and content from accounts you don’t follow. Oh boy, they’re well-designed. Everything works in order to support the sense of unpredictability and discovery, much like the ever-changing reels of a slot machine.

I might sound paranoid, but from the same perspective, if you simply look at the Stories feature… With its timed disappearance, it basically plays into our fear of missing out. It’s not unlike the limited-time events in mobile games that drive players to engage more frequently and intensely.

The thing is, it’s not just social media and games. Even services we rely on for daily tasks have adopted these techniques. Take Uber, for instance. You might think of it as just a ride-sharing app, but there’s more going on under the hood from a product and user experience perspective.

Uber has been known to use psychological techniques similar to those employed by casinos to keep their drivers on the road. The company’s former head of product even admitted to using video game techniques to influence when and where drivers work.

One particularly interesting mechanic is the way Uber encourages drivers to keep working when they’re close to meeting a goal. If a driver is close to hitting an earnings target, the app might alert them that they’re only a few rides away from a bonus. This is interestingly similar to how a slot machine might dangle a big win in front of a player to keep them playing “just a little longer.”

Same goes for Uber’s surge pricing. It literally creates zones of high reward and high risk. Drivers are enticed to specific areas with the promise of higher fares, but there’s no guarantee they’ll actually get a ride once they arrive. It’s a gamble, one that many drivers feel compelled to take.

The Neuroscience Behind It All

So why are these techniques so effective? It all comes down to how our brains process rewards. When we experience something pleasurable, our brains release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. But here’s the kicker: our dopamine response is actually stronger when the reward is unpredictable.

This is why variable reward schedules are so powerful. Whether it’s a surprise match in a game, a random shot through the fog of war, an unexpected like on Instagram, or the possibility of a high-paying ride on Uber, the uncertainty keeps us engaged and coming back for more.

As someone who has been in product meetings where these decisions are made, I do understand the appeal. They simply work, really well. They drive engagement, retention, and yes; revenue. When you’re under pressure to hit KPIs and keep a product profitable, it just makes sense to reach for tools that have proven effective.

I’ve seen first-hand how these features can hook users, both from the builder and the user perspective. The rush of a big win, the frustration of a near miss, the compulsion to keep engaging “just one more time” — it’s all by design. Yet, I need to admit, while it can be exhilarating, it can also become exhausting and/or potentially harmful for the users.

Looking Ahead

I feel like we’re at an interesting juncture in the digital product landscape. On one hand, these features are incredibly effective at driving user engagement, monetization and fun. On the other, they’re attracting increasing scrutiny from regulators and concern from consumer advocates.

I don’t have all the answers, but I believe it’s crucial for me to start pouring these thoughts openly. Maybe the future of digital products and games doesn’t have to be a casino in our pocket. Maybe there’s still room for innovation, for experiences that skyrocket our already broken dopamine values through genuine value rather than… Well, this.

Share your thoughts below. I’ll go back to scrolling TikTok and rolling on Monopoly GO for now.

— EK