The Psychology of Gambling Explained

Gambling Psychology - Why We Gamble

Gambling has long been a pastime for people all around the world. Playing your favourite casino games or having a few spins on the slot machine, all while betting money appeals to many gamblers worldwide.

This has begged many psychologists to ask what makes people want to gamble. What is it about betting money and competing against other people that is so appealing? Well, that’s precisely what this article seeks to answer.

However, the psychology of gambling is an extremely complicated field that has been studied for many years. In fact, there has been extensive research into the psychology of gambling by professors at some of the world’s top universities.

So, we’ll try to keep the reasons behind our love for gambling as brief and digestible as possible. Once you’ve finished reading this summary of some of the most in-depth psychological reasons that people gamble, you’ll understand the studies in full.

Let’s jump right into it!

Good Moods Lead to Increased Gambling

Whenever people feel like they are in a good mood, they often try to keep that mood going as long as possible. One of the most effective ways to ensure an ongoing good mood is to do things that increase dopamine.

Dopamine is often referred to by psychologists as the pleasure chemical in our brain. When we partake in activities that we enjoy or do things that offer rewards for winning or completion, our brains release dopamine.

Gambling fulfils both of those objectives. Firstly, when we gamble we either get to play table games like poker or blackjack. These games involve a level of strategy, and they engage our critical thinking modules. This will instantly release dopamine.

Secondly, we can play games like roulette or the slots, which are completely based on luck. When we get lucky and get rewarded for taking risks like spinning the reels of Australian online pokies real money games, then we will also get a dopamine release.

These are the reasons that we tend to gamble more when we are in a good mood - to help keep the dopamine chemical running through our brains.

Gambling is Thrilling

Humans love to feel excitement. To feel like there is a risk and reward to the activities they partake in. Gambling provides a thrill quite like any other. When you play games at the casino there is always the chance that you could lose and will need to try again.

This thrilling nature that gambling provides is a big reason that gamblers keep coming back. To experience the roller coaster of emotions that the casino has in abundance.

You Can Win Tons of Money

When you gamble, you’ll always feel like a jackpot might be just around the corner. The possibility of leaving the casino much richer than when you arrived is a big reason that people gamble. Finally earning that big reward will feel like a huge accomplishment.

We also need money to do practically anything in the modern world. Therefore, gambling, for many good players when it comes to games like poker, might offer an alternative career path that has never been explored before.