For my Critical Play this week, I chose to analyze the game 247 Poker, a free online platform for Texas Hold’em. Poker belongs to a family of comparing card games wherein players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game’s rules. In the game I played, players are dealt two private cards and five community cards, and the game progresses through multiple betting rounds: pre-flop, flop, turn, and river. As someone who has never played Poker before, I felt starting off with 247 Poker was a good start — the game features bot opponents as well as different difficulty levels.
One of the primary reasons 247 Poker might put players at risk for addiction lies in its engagement with probability and randomness. The random dealing of cards introduces a level of unpredictability that keeps players continuously engaged. Each hand is different, and the outcome is never guaranteed. You could win or you could lose. This element of chance is similar to what makes slot machines and lottery games addictive.
The risk of addiction in 247 Poker is also influenced by the reward system, where wins are sporadic and not guaranteed every hand. For a lot of people, this creates a strong psychological compulsion to keep playing. Also, the mechanics of bluffing and strategic betting add complexity to the game. Even if a person is dealt with a bad hand, with bluffing, this offers them the chance to still turn things around for them.
The accessibility of the game, being free and online, also removes barriers to play and increases the risk of prolonged gaming sessions. As someone who doesn’t like poker, I would see myself most likely getting addicted to this platform because I didn’t have to deal with seeing other people, which is a huge barrier for me. However, it’s worth noting that the social aspects of online poker platforms and the presence of online communities could also potentially influence addiction for some players, sustaining engagement through social interactions.
While the mechanics of 247 Poker present several risk factors for fostering addiction, individual interests and preferences also play a significant role in determining susceptibility. In my case, despite recognizing the game’s engagement with chance, unpredictability, and intermittent rewards, I did not find myself getting hooked. This can likely be attributed to my lack of genuine interest in poker and similar games. The addictive potential of a game’s mechanics is amplified when an individual already has an inherent affinity or passion for that particular game or genre. Without that foundational interest, the allure of the game’s randomness and probability-based elements may not resonate as strongly. Consequently, while 247 Poker employs tactics that can be addictive for enthusiasts of the game, these same mechanics did not have the same gripping effect on me due to my indifference towards poker and similar games of chance.
Ultimately, 247 Poker presents several key risk factors for fostering addiction through its incorporation of chance, unpredictability, and intermittent rewards. The strategic layer of bluffing and betting further heightens engagement by allowing players to chase wins even with poor hands. Moreover, the free and easily accessible online format reduces barriers to entry, enabling prolonged gaming sessions.
