There is no doubt that online gaming is fun and can be profitable. The secret is knowing when to walk away and when to double down. Most can visit a site like https://match.center/ie/ choose a sports betting site and walk away when the time has come. Sadly, there are a few that cannot do this and gamble every last penny. They make the big mistake of chasing losses which is something pro players never do.
Lockdown and Online Gaming
With the advent of lockdown, many turned to online gaming for amusement value and to relieve boredom. As such, this led to an increase in gambling related problems. More women than ever before have asked for help to cope with addictions and the UK’s Gambling Commission estimated that 0.4% of the population suffer from ‘gambling disorder.’
One of the issues with gambling addiction is that unlike other addictions where there are physical signs there is a problem, with gambling this is absent due to its financial nature. Severe cases lead to mental health issues, relationship problems, cognition issues, bankruptcy and criminal activity.
The problem is least worse in Europe and highest in Asia with the rest of the world in between.
Inside the Mind of the Gambler
As with all neurological studies the mind is complex. That said, several studies have been completed that focused on the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain is where we way up risky decision making as well as memories and dealing with emotions.
As well as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the orbital frontal cortex and insula have also been looked at. The latter regulates the autonomic nervous system. Researchers believe that if you have gambling addiction issues, activity in these parts of your mind is increased.
Research has also revealed that the caudate nucleus and other parts of the mind’s reward system see increased activity. The current theory is that problem gamblers get more from their reward system than people without the problem.
This theory is somewhat backed up by increased levels of dopamine in people with gambling issues. Dopamine helps one part of the mind communicate with another and is significant in the brain’s reward system. It is believed that the increased dopamine increases excitement and the riskier a bet the more excitement experienced.
Diagnosing Gambling Disorder
Currently, gambling disorder is diagnosed using the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is due to release guidelines for treating the condition in 2024.
Researchers in America such as the Iowa Gambling Task and the CANTAB Cambridge Gambling Task are also working on ways to detect the disorder. One is the development of the blue and red box game.
Here, a yellow chip is hidden in either the red or blue box, and players can bet a certain number of points on their decision. Should they guess correctly, the number of points wagered is added to their total. If they lose, the wagered points are lost. They lose completely if they ‘go bankrupt’ which is when they have no points left.
It is believed that this method can detect those that are more at risk of gambling disorder as they take more risks with their points.
If the researchers are right the condition is rare between 17 and 27 year olds but the older we get the riskier we become.
Other studies suggest the more we bet the more prone we are to the condition and addictions to drink and drugs exasperate the problem.
Treating Gambling Addiction
Currently, the condition is treated using various forms of cognitive behavioural therapy and there is talk of future medications being developed such as selective impede the serotonin reuptake inhibitors to treat the depression experienced when problem gamblers can’t try their luck.
Meanwhile, a drug called Naltrexone may be of assistance in the future as well. This blocks opioid receptors such as those in the reward centre of the mind. Again this may make a positive impact on the condition.
Other options as those provided by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) try and provide solutions to increase self control. This includes paying bills before starting a gaming session, spending time with friends and family who do not enjoy gambling, and various debt management solutions.
It is believed that gambling to make money is not a good option for many. The World Health Organization (WHO) that annual gambling losses are around $400bn a year.
To be a professional gambler takes great self control and restraint. The cardinal sin is never to chase losses and you treat it like a business. You set strict budgets and it is critical you walk away at the right time, accepting if necessary that it wasn’t your night.
This is precisely what those affected by gambling addiction cannot do.
Gambling is great fun, but know when to walk away so you do not ruin your life.
