Book · 2012 · Social Science
Addiction by Design
Machine Gambling in Las Vegas
- mentions
- 4
- people
- 4
- podcasts
- 3
- episodes
- 4
- recommendations
- 3
The third is called Addiction by Design um by Natasha Schüll. And Natasha is an NYU anthropologist who studied Las Vegas as like her thesis, basically.
Nate Silver · The Ezra Klein Show · Aug 2024 Listen at 1:08:33 The best things said about it
Uh it's called addiction by Design Natasha dul is a science and technology studies scholar.
There's a tremendous book Addiction by Design and I'm afraid I'm going to mispronounce the the name of the person who wrote I think it's Schull but I'm not sure but I know the title Addiction by Design about gambling and she profiles people who play video poker.
Andrew Huberman Huberman Lab · Jan 2026 But you also mentioned a book I think it was written around 2012 by a cultural Anthropologist named Natasha Dao shul it was called addiction by Design and it talks about how slot machines in particular induce a state of flow.
Stephen Dubner No Stupid Questions · Apr 2023 Where and when it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Addiction by Design by Natasha Dow Schüll is a 2012 cultural anthropology and science-and-technology studies book that investigates the machine-human interface of gambling, focusing specifically on how modern video poker and slot machines are engineered to induce hypnotic states of flow and compulsive behavior in players. The book received enthusiastic recommendations across several major podcasts throughout 2024 and 2026, including Huberman Lab, The Ezra Klein Show, and No Stupid Questions. On Huberman Lab in January 2026, Andrew Huberman recommended the text to explore the neurological and environmental mechanics behind behavioral addictions, praising the author's deep profile of gamblers. Nate Silver and Darrin Burnett also highlighted the work as a top reading suggestion on The Ezra Klein Show in mid-2024, noting the author's rigorous anthropological research inside Las Vegas casinos. Additionally, on No Stupid Questions in April 2023, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discussed the volume to illustrate how physical architecture and digital design can trap human attention by fostering uninterrupted flow states. Across these diverse episodes, podcast hosts consistently praised the publication for providing a masterclass in understanding how modern technologies are intentionally structured to capture, monetize, and exploit human vulnerability.
Every mention
Andrew Huberman There's a tremendous book Addiction by Design and I'm afraid I'm going to mispronounce the the name of the… 1
“There's a tremendous book Addiction by Design and I'm afraid I'm going to mispronounce the the name of the person who wrote I think it's Schull but I'm not sure but I know the title Addiction by Design about gambling and she profiles people who play video poker”
Darrin Burnett uh it's called addiction by Design Natasha dul is a science and technology studies scholar 1
“uh it's called addiction by Design Natasha dul is a science and technology studies scholar”
Nate Silver The third is called Addiction by Design um by Natasha Schüll. And Natasha is an NYU anthropologist who stud… 1
“The third is called Addiction by Design um by Natasha Schüll. And Natasha is an NYU anthropologist who studied Las Vegas as like her thesis, basically.”
Stephen Dubner but you also mentioned a book I think it was written around 2012 by a cultural Anthropologist named Natasha… 1
“but you also mentioned a book I think it was written around 2012 by a cultural Anthropologist named Natasha Dao shul it was called addiction by Design and it talks about how slot machines in particular induce a state of flow”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“as i understand it from natasha um i think her book is called addiction by design uh is when you start losing like if you start losing money”