Scientists Say Blue Lighting Inside Casinos Influences Risk-Taking Decisions
Posted on: June 23, 2025, 11:51h.
Last updated on: June 23, 2025, 12:10h.
- Scientists say the color blue could encourage risk-taking
- Gamblers in blue-light environments might be more prone to incurring financial loss
- A new responsible gaming tool could be eliminating blue from casinos
Scientists and researchers at the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) in South Australia say that how a casino is lit likely influences the many risk-taking decisions gamblers undergo each visit.
In a study published in Scientific Reports, lead author Dr. Alicia Lander says blue wavelengths have considerable bearing on how someone perceives “losses and gains.”
Typically, people have a strong tendency to avoid losses, often outweighing potential gains in their decision-making. However, under blue-enriched light, which stimulates non-visual circadian photoreceptors, they demonstrated a reduced sensitivity to financial losses that may influence gambling tendencies, potentially encouraging riskier behaviors,” Lander wrote.
Lander said in lighting conditions where there is less blue, people tended to feel a $100 loss much more strongly than a $100 gain.
“The loss just feels worse,” Lander said. “But under bright, blue-heavy light such as that seen in casino machines, the $100 loss didn’t appear to feel as bad, so people were more willing to take the risk.”
Casino Blue
The Flinders study regarding how lighting impacts risk-taking decisions monitored 15 young, healthy adults aged 18 to 27 years, with 10 women and five men. All subjects abstained from alcohol and caffeine for 24 hours before each gaming session in blue-enriched and blue-depleted light.
In each session, the participants were asked to choose between a risky gamble of a positive and negative outcome, or a less risky guaranteed outcome. Researchers found that when in a blue-depleted environment, the less-risky guaranteed outcome was more frequently chosen.
“Under light with more blue wavelengths, people may be less able to accurately judge risk and reward due to a decreased cognitive sensitivity to loss,” said circadian biologist Sean Cain of FHMRI.
The research term concluded that dimming the blue in casino lights and machines could help promote safer gambling behaviors.
Our study provides new insights into how light influences decision-making in financial risk scenarios and raises important ethical considerations,” Cain added.
The Flinders study concluded by conceding that the study “had a relatively small sample size for computational modeling,” but its “model diagnostics” highlighted “reliability in the model estimates.”
Bluer Casinos?
While the Flinders University findings could be a new tool in responsible gaming, it could also be used to promote more play by the casinos themselves. Casinos already go to great lengths to create environments that encourage play, such as windowless facilities and cooler air temperatures to keep gamblers awake.
A common myth is that casinos also pump in oxygen, though that’s long been dispelled.
The Flinders team behind the blue gaming research said its findings raise ethical and responsibility questions.
While encouraging risk taking might be good for the gambling business, it’s not good for the patrons spending their cash,” the study reported.
Casino operators know best how to keep players playing. While you might not think your favorite casino is overly “blue,” the next time you visit, look around and you’ll likely notice an abundance of blue on slot machine displays, cashier kiosks, and tabletops.
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