A comparative study of personality traits between video poker and traditional pull/push machines players

Since the first spinning-reel slot machine was invented in 1895 by a German-born mechanic and installed in San Francisco taverns (Span 2003), machine games have enjoyed popularity among gamblers. Two main types of slot machines dominate the market: video poker machines, and the more traditional pull/push machines. Previous research suggests that video poker players and pull/push slot gamblers have different motivations for playing. In our study we looked at whether or not video poker and slot players have different personality traits as measured through Cattell's 16 Personality Factors. The findings showed that video poker players presented a more dominant personality trait than pull/push slot machine gamblers when they play their games. Conversely, pull/push slot machine gamblers showed a more submissive personality trait than video poker players. The results were based on the fact that video poker provides decision processes, in other words, controlling processes against the game to the players, and pull/push slot machines offer simple, easy, and mindless gaming styles to gamblers.