Music interweaves with many different facets of our lives and engrains itself into our psychology.
It can be the soundtrack to a moment we still vividly remember from all those years ago, act as a backdrop to our favourite film scenes, or help give us that extra 1% in the gym when we’re working out.
Gambling is another industry that has always understood how crucial music is to piecing together a broader package.
But how influential is it in driving ideas and designs, and how deep does this influence go when exploring gaming ideas and assessing which music is most suitable or fitting for them?
Well, much of this is based on gamers’ psychological connections to the titles, or genres, and personal preferences.
While music might not be the only consideration for a casino game designer, it is still vital for the wider package to work.
What do the Experts Say?
Although it won’t be the first thing that experts seek out when looking at the quality of a gambling platform or a specific game, music still plays a role in what the experts have to say when they’re reviewing a game or a platform.
While casino games like roulette and blackjack can have generic background music, the real crossover between gambling and music psychology is in slot machine gaming.
Sites like IrishLuck are aware that music is essential to game design and overall gambling psychology.
Irishluck.ie has reviewed Lukki Casino, highlighting its user-friendly interface and immersive gaming atmosphere.
Still, the expert reviews on their highly rated site are also objective and varied, bringing other components into play.
This ensures that those seeking out the site know that music is part of a bigger puzzle that helps sell a platform’s quality.
Given the many slot machine games, designers with significant influence in the industry consistently search for ways to make their games more appealing.
Smaller components of a business can often be the difference in a sector with tens of thousands of slot machine gaming options, especially when the overall quality is of a strong standard and the market has become saturated.
Exploring the Crossover of Music & Gaming
Gaming companies have long used soundtracks to bolster their broader gaming package.
Cultural phenomenon Grand Theft Auto became so synonymous with its music that it’s played in clubs all over the world and has become the spine of some of its landmark titles—emanating feelings of nostalgia for those who remember it so fondly.
Due to the wealth of emotions that music can trigger, many studies have aimed to uncover the connection between gaming and psychology.
While gambling platforms may seem slightly detached from home video console games, the premise of using music to elevate the appeal is something designers use across the board.
Music can relax gamers or inject a bit of speed and adrenaline into their game, especially if it’s an action game.
Music can also cultivate a bit of mystery and aura for games that rely on creating an uneasy atmosphere; the soundtrack that can do this leaves an imprint on these emotions in our brain, which is where the crossover becomes so crucial in the design.
This applies to console games, casino gaming, and sports betting platforms.
A good soundtrack complements the game and exemplifies its key features.
Gambling & Music—a Longstanding Collaboration
Ever since online gambling companies first began emerging online, music has never been too far away from their designs.
In fact, they’re a significant part of the land-based casino allure, too, with physical casinos using music as part of their broader package.
Music perpetuates some of the imagery in films, whether it’s a slick scene in a James Bond film or Martin Scorsese’s classic Casino.
Artists will use music videos to portray a particular image or style for their brand, which they want people to attach to them.
Music has been used in casino gaming since its inception. Sports betting might follow a slightly different pathway.
Still, we often see it used in marketing strategies implemented by sports betting platforms—an increasing number of them are also venturing into casino gaming anyway and expanding their multi-pronged approach to obtaining as many customers as possible.
Final Thoughts
The most important point to remember when dissecting the points where music psychology and gambling intertwine is that the end goal is to market the product correctly.
Obviously, the skill is to do this as effectively as possible, and while there might be a huge selection of slot games that draw on influence from all types of musical genres, they all end up at this eventual goal.
Those who bet will see it from a different perspective; it is tricky for platforms to tie together music and specific games because music is much more subjective than simply choosing which casino games you like.
While certain gamblers may like slot gaming, for instance, they will all have different tastes in music and gaming styles.
Despite the growth of the gambling industry and the potential profit margins for companies that balance gaming quality and soundtrack choice, it’s still relatively unexplored.
At least, it is within the scope of the gambling industry. As the bottleneck becomes more apparent and the innovation potential grows smaller, expect music to move further into focus.
