‘Near-miss’ outcomes (i.e., unsuccessful outcomes close to the jackpot) have been
shown to promote gambling persistence. Although there have been recent advances in
understanding the neurobiological responses to gambling near-misses, the psychological
mechanisms involved in these events remain unclear. The goal of this study was to
explore whether trait-related gambling cognitions (e.g., beliefs that certain skills or
rituals may help to win in games of chance) influence behavioural and subjective
responses during laboratory gambling. Eighty-four individuals, who gambled at least
monthly, performed a simplified slot machine task that delivered win, near-miss, and
full-miss outcomes across 30 mandatory trials followed by a persistence phase in
extinction. Participants completed the Gambling-Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS; Raylu
& Oei, 2004), as well as measures of disordered gambling (South Oaks Gambling Screen
[SOGS]; Lesieur & Blume, 1987) and social desirability bias (DS-36; Tournois, Mesnil, &
Kop, 2000). Skill-oriented gambling cognitions (illusion of control, fostered by internal
factors such as reappraisal of losses, or perceived outcome sequences), but not ritualoriented
gambling cognitions (illusion of control fostered by external factors such as luck
or superstitions), predicted higher subjective ratings of desire to play after near-miss
outcomes. In contrast, perceived lack of self-control predicted persistence on the slot
machine task. These data indicate that the motivational impact of near-miss outcomes
is related to specific gambling cognitions pertaining to skill acquisition, supporting the
idea that gambling near-misses foster the illusion of control.