Do Players Have Fun? Part II

30 January 2021

By Royal Flushes

CINDY: Frank Scoblete shared his newest column with us. He tried to answer the question of whether or not casino players have fun when they go. At first that sounds weird – obviously they have fun or why would they go? – but when you think of it the question is not so weird. If yes, why yes; if no, why do they come back, most of them quite a lot.

ABBY: If you aren’t having fun why would anyone go back? Do you think it is just the winning or losing proposition?

CINDY: Well, most players can’t honestly say that they are winning something in their own personal long run. The games are structured against us and the more we play, the more the chance is that we will be behind. Losses do not dissuade people from coming to the casinos. If losses don’t dissuade them then wins don’t encourage them.

ABBY: Or maybe the times players win it is so thrilling that it makes them want to come back time and again.

CINDY: Maybe. In my case, I do enjoy everything we do when we go to the casinos.

ABBY: I agree. Frank felt the same way. He made a list. I agree with him and you. It isn’t just playing the games, which I do love doing, but it is everything else as well. It is the entire experience from leaving the house, anticipating the fun, the playing of the games, the wishes and hopes. All of it.

CINDY: I would therefore say that yes, players are having fun when they go, whether they win or lose at the games they choose to play.

ABBY: But there are players who only go to play the games. I mean, that is their be-all and end-all, playing those games. If these players live close enough to casinos to just drive there, you might find them playing several times a week. That’s their whole casino existence, playing the games.

CINDY: So, are they happy? Are they having fun if all they do is play the games?

ABBY: I’d say yes because there are players who enjoy playing on the Internet. That is just playing the games; nothing else. They must have fun doing so or they wouldn’t do so, right?

CINDY: Right. Wow, this is a more complicated question because I think there may be many answers to the question of why players have fun.

ABBY: What about players who don’t have fun? That get really get screwed up when they lose. Why would they come back? We see such players whining and moaning and getting angry. They can become really hostile too. What kind of fun is that? Why would anyone put themselves through that?

CINDY: Maybe some people want to be miserable? Maybe being miserable is fun for them. I really can’t answer that without sounding nuts. I mean, it is fun to not have fun?

ABBY: It is fun to have fun and it is also fun to not have fun.

CINDY: The question Frank tried to answer might not have an answer to it.

ABBY: I’m guessing some things just don’t have answers.