Colour psychology is an interesting thing, because people associate different colours with emotions.
As a result, various colours are used in marketing to attract humans to products. Packaging is a large part of what people decide to buy.
Even in the online world, colours signify branding and branding signifies status and recognition. New online casinos should have noteworthy colours so customers can identify them. If they use boring or unoriginal colours, they may become lost in the sea of other online sites.
Some online sites become known for their branding through bright colour combinations, but it is the colours used in the game that are most important.
So why do slots use certain colours, and what do they mean?
Red: Encourages Urgency
Red is a colour that is known to elicit emotional responses. Some associate red with danger, but in casinos, red means act fast. Red is also a symbol used in the cherry symbol in fruit machines, but most importantly, red is there to give players a sense of urgency.
Casino flooring is often red because casinos want customers to feel important, and red lighting screams intimacy. You feel like it is just you and the game, even though lots of other players are playing at the same time.
It’s also why on slot machines, the most important buttons, where the options for bets are located, are often red. Casinos want you to act fast to get to that next spin.
Red is also an instantly recogniseable colour at the casino and helps to tie into the old school theme. Think jackpot indicators, flashing red lights when you win, and various red accents on the slot machines. Some studies even suggest the colour red increases the chances of someone being physiologically aroused, because they become more alert and develop a faster heartbeat.
Finally, red is a colour that psychologists have found to stand out among a complex visual field. So, if you put the colour red in front of a person with a range of other bright colours, red is going to be the first one they see.
Green: Luck
Green has always been a colour people consider to mean luck. The Irish four-leaf clover is green and is a staple in Irish-themed slot games. When people play slots, they want to feel lucky; they want to believe they will be the one to receive the big payout.
On a colour spectrum, green is an easy colour to see, which is why it is used in traffic lights and as a signal to go. This is translated into UX design and in online slot machines. You will find green buttons on some slot machines instructing you to start or bet. Even if the slot is not an Irish one, green is commonly displayed in online and physical slot machines.
People also identify green as a positive colour, whereas red is sometimes used as a warning. In some slots, the green buttons may highlight safe or encouraged betting options to the player. When they see that colour, they feel a sense of comfort, so they are more likely to place bets if the buttons are green.
Lastly, green neutralises colour displays on slots. The common reds and golds you see on slot machines are intense and are associated with intense gameplay. On the opposite side, green buttons and lights balance that out to encourage smarter and safer gambling.
Gold: Wealth
Gold is a colour that represents wealth. Think gold coins and treasure, which are a common motif in online slots. Jackpots are often coloured and written in gold so the player associates that prize with wealth and riches.
In real life, gold is also a material representative of wealth and status. Having accents of gold across the slot machine trains a player’s eye to be engaged. Emotionally, it makes them feel important because they’re getting the opportunity to try and win the prize.
Furthermore, gold acts as an aesthetically pleasing colour. In marketing, many bright colours, such as yellow, are considered jarring to the naked eye. Therefore, designers opt to use less harsh tones.
Gold, which, while remaining bright, doesn’t irritate your vision.
Purple: Luxury
Like wealth, luxury is represented by the colour purple. Deep and rich colours were worn in history to indicate status among wealthy people, especially royals.
Now purple represents exclusivity, especially in slots, because it is not a colour that is used in all slot games. Brands and games that use purple are making a statement to the player that the game they are going to play is elite, so they must have an elite mentality. This means, ‘you should be prepared to make big bets, or this game isn’t for you’.
Well, maybe not as harsh as that, but something along those lines! Lots of bonus round features and icons are marked in purple in slots to indicate that they are special. Consequently, players end up wanting to try to unlock the bonus rounds, so they will bet more to try to qualify.
Colour In Slot Machines: Key Takeaways
Colours are important in slot machines for design, emotional responses, and controlling gameplay. Certain colours are synonymous with actions and buttons on the slot machine and act as guides to encourage players to make decisions. Red means urgency, green means go and luck, purple is an indication of luxury and bonus rounds, and gold alludes to big win potential and wealth.
However, the placement and use of colours will vary per game. Some colours are included in the game because they fit the aesthetic and not for emotional purposes. Colours like yellow can be used to catch the eye, although they may be saturated so they don’t annoy players.
Games and colours will depend on geographical locations. Greens, for example, are more common in UK slots and casino games because of Irish culture and green being a symbol of luck.
To conclude, colours can be used for a variety of reasons in online casinos; they help drive the identity and direction of the game, and remain important online and in physical casinos.
