

#3123
Mentioned in 9 episodes
Addiction by design
Machine Gambling in Las Vegas
Book • 2012
This book, based on fifteen years of field research in Las Vegas, explores how the mechanical rhythm of electronic gambling machines induces a trancelike state known as the 'machine zone.
' In this state, gamblers' daily worries and bodily awareness fade away, and they continue to play not to win, but to maintain the state of continuous play.
Schüll delves into the strategic design of game algorithms, machine ergonomics, casino architecture, and 'ambience management,' all aimed at maximizing 'time on device.
' The book also examines the broader social and cultural implications of machine gambling, including the debate over whether addiction stems from the consumer, the product, or the interplay between the two.
' In this state, gamblers' daily worries and bodily awareness fade away, and they continue to play not to win, but to maintain the state of continuous play.
Schüll delves into the strategic design of game algorithms, machine ergonomics, casino architecture, and 'ambience management,' all aimed at maximizing 'time on device.
' The book also examines the broader social and cultural implications of machine gambling, including the debate over whether addiction stems from the consumer, the product, or the interplay between the two.
Mentioned by













Mentioned in 9 episodes
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

in a discussion about the impact of technology on society.

Eugene Wei

227 snips
11: Eugene Wei - Amusing Each Other to Death
Mentioned by 

as the author of "Addiction by Design", discussing addictive forces in American life.


Michael Lewis

139 snips
Episode 9: Framing the Gambler
Mentioned by 

as a fascinating look at everything from casino design to the digital overhaul of Las Vegas.


Michael Lewis

115 snips
Natasha Schüll on the Antisocial Lure of Gambling
Mentioned by 

when discussing the attentional trance produced by slot machines.


Chris Hayes

63 snips
Chris Hayes on the attention economy
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

when discussing the architecture of intermittent reinforcement in social media.

Danielle Carr

36 snips
Dig: Psychiatric Struggle w/ Danielle Carr
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

when discussing the architecture of intermittent reinforcement in social media platforms.

Danielle Carr

21 snips
Psychiatric Struggle w/ Danielle Carr
Mentioned by Stephen Dubner as exploring how slot machines induce a state of flow.

15 snips
141. Is Greed Good?
Mentioned by 

as influential in understanding the back end of the creator economy.


Ashley Mears

Our Digital Economic Lives
Mentioned when discussing the addictive nature of apps, referencing her work on casino design and addiction.

CM 065: Tim Wu on Reclaiming Our Attention
Recommended by ![undefined]()

for its insights into the engineering of addiction in video poker machines.

D. Graham Burnett

Your Mind Is Being Fracked
Mentioned by 

when discussing the design of casinos and their similarities to technology.


Tristan Harris

Tristan Harris on Secrets of Social Media Algorithms, Tech Manipulation and Addiction, and How Our Feeds Divide Us | Ep. 244
Mentioned by 

, referencing her work on the engineered tension and illusion of control in slot machines.


Mike Rugnetta

Betting On Whatever
Mentioned by 

as an anthropologist who wrote a book about addiction.


Michael Lewis

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