Severity of gambling problems modulates autonomic reactions to near outcomes in gambling

• Near relative to full outcomes elicit increased interbeat intervals.
• SCR following near relative to full outcomes increases with gambling problems.
• IBI reactivity to full misses vs. other outcomes increases with gambling problems.

Outcomes in gambling games cannot only be classified based on their valence (wins and misses) but also based on their closeness (near and full outcomes). The present study investigated autonomic responses (phasic heart period changes and skin conductance responses) to near and full outcomes on a wheel of fortune in a sample of males with different degrees of gambling problems. Near relative to full outcomes elicited increased interbeat intervals shortly after outcome presentation. Furthermore, participants with more severe gambling problems showed increased skin conductance responses following near relative to full outcomes as well as relatively smaller interbeat interval responses to near relative to full misses. The findings confirm different processing of near compared to full outcomes and altered processing of gambling outcomes with increasing severity of gambling problems.