Updated: December 22, 2023
You’re now probably wondering, so what is the cause of gambling addiction? Is there a part of the player’s brain that has something to do with the addiction?
These questions have finally been answered by a group of British scientists from the player’s perspective. Their study found out that people who get addicted to gambling have aspects in their brain structure that are not part of medical science but still make problems for the people.
We will try to understand the psychology of gamblers in total. If you are new to the casino industry, this article will be very beneficial for you. By the end of the article, you will know if you are an addicted gambler. We will also give you examples of gambling addictions and ways to control them.
The scientists experimented using 30 people, half were addicted punters, and half were ordinary people. They conducted positron emission topographies to study the receptors responsible for releasing endorphins known as “happy hormones. They discovered that there is obvious reciprocity between the number of endorphins and gambling dependence.
Before this research, scientists thought that these features showed drug and alcohol-addicted people. This experiment was almost equivalent to both groups (addicted and non-addicted) being the same. The only difference between the two is that the gambler experiences fewer “happy hormones” than those who aren’t addicted.
As we all know, our bodies are self-regulating systems. If you place it in bad circumstances and it will either die or learn to live with it. These defensive reactions are also a feature of gambling addiction. As the emotions get stronger, the gambler’s stimulation gets weaker and weaker. The main problem is that gambling addiction is very similar to drug dependence.
Ask yourself, Am I addicted to casinos? This is the only way to find out. Be honest with yourself! Most players with dependence say no, the actual problem with extremely addicted gamblers is usually the game. You probably ask yourself, why are people addicted? Well, the answer is simple.
It’s all because he wants more and more, or else said, they are greedy. They want free money, this way he can avoid working. Addicted gamblers should not be mistaken for weak; the game and greed are what make them weak.
Believe it or not, there’s a whole myth saying that it’s impossible to win at casinos! We all know that we’ll get a win at some point, but we won’t keep winning; we’ll go back to losing. Of course, that one short moment gives hope to the player, and he keeps playing.
Gambling is an addiction that anyone could have. It’s similar to drug addiction; if you begin, you slowly get addicted. This habit might be easier to treat depending on the player’s psychology. Unfortunately, there are times when the wagering dependence is so big that it stays forever.
At the start, inexperienced players are most likely to get a good amount of money. This makes them more and more interested in gambling.
So I can get a good profit and have fun, it’s a great way to double your money, and you can often win a larger amount than in a regular operation! Thinking in this way, players start playing more and more and end up getting addicted.
Anyhow, the casino has one rule – to get a mathematical advantage so that the casino always wins. So the casino aims to attract more players because more of them is a bigger chance for the casino to win.
And to add on, the player’s psychology is also a discussion.
People say they won’t get addicted by playing once, but our minds select memories that we want to remember or not, for instance, you could have lost a small amount of money 100 times, but when you win a big amount 1, you will remember it for a long period.
So you will keep playing, hoping that you might hit something big again, forgetting about all of the small losses. Any experienced player can tell you that they have lost a humongous amount of money doing the same things. Still, he is addicted and has no other choice, so he keeps playing, repeating everything over and over again.
After a few games, you will realize that triumph is not as important as the game. Daily, you wouldn’t experience such adrenalin while playing gives you that feeling.
After all, we all need these feelings and emotions. Gaming will become more important than victory, and the addiction will start getting worst.
Another name for gambling addiction is psychological gaming. This is a disease, along with alcoholism, and drug and sex addiction. These kinds of people may join the groups for treatment. They will have individual training along with group training too. These people need help and cannot do this by themselves.
For addicted gamblers, nothing except gambling matters. You might or might not believe this, but a player knows at the utmost level that he won’t win. His thoughts may be: should I leave a big tip at the restaurant? There isn’t a reason not to. I will either win or lose a lot today.1000 CAD won’t make a difference.
Some players get so addicted that they end up dreaming about games, slots, big wins and things related to gambling in general. Betting is now a thing that the punter cannot live without. At this stage, gambling addiction is nasty, and it is not under control; you need help before it gets any worse.
One reason for people relating to drug and gamble dependences is that you need an increase in the dose; this is about emotions. To feel adrenaline, he needs to raise the stakes. If not, the player starts losing interest and stops playing.
Even if he does raise the stakes, the player won’t feel strong emotions for long; he will need to continue raising the stakes to feel the adrenaline and keep having fun.
You can bet up to 1000CAD for each spin. The punter will get a bit of fun and adrenaline, but this will all stop when the gambled sum becomes significant.
The amount that the gambler had before he got addicted does not matter. A millionaire, for instance, would get sick of betting 100CAD; he will then probably raise the stakes to 1000CAD, then he will keep adding money to the bets making them higher.
So, if the punter wants to win millions, the only way to do so would be to start by betting tens of millions and then add money to the stakes. Your casino, along with any other, can change the highest bet on any level.
Gambling addiction doesn’t have physical symptoms like a drug or alcohol addiction. Physiatrists very often call it a Hidden Illness because it’s not easily spotted. So, here are some of the main symptoms are:
Punters that have an addiction at a secondary level usually have a game session like this:
By answering the following questions, you will know if you are an addicted gambler or not; you do not need to answer them with a full sentence; yes or no is enough.
So, what are your results? If you relate to at least 2 of the answers, then the addiction is slowly forming. If you have 2 or more affirmative answers, then you have to start changing the way you think and act; you should also see a specialist; he/she will definitely help you stop the dependence before it gets any worse.
A lot of the population has stopped smoking. The first couple of days were probably a nightmare. After a month or so, you start noticing that you no longer have shortness of breath, the cough you had when you smoked, the physical discomfort and everything else.
Some people have a lot of dreams while others don’t. You probably got very upset and blamed yourself for being fragile, and It’s a tough thing to get rid of. You probably said,” It’s only one cigarette; I can stop after.” Then you might have said, “it’s not my fault my friends told me to.”
I get a bit annoyed because I know the answers to these simple questions, so I start thinking that everyone else does. I tell them that it is real money and you can withdraw after winning, but of course, I keep getting questions… So here’s an example of one of my conversations:
Of course, it can’t go smoothly, and they don’t believe me, so I have to explain everything. After watching you withdraw your yearly income, they become jealous.
When playing for the first time, you have many fears; you have to outcome these fears and focus on the game. One of these fears is: not winning anything. After you see a sum in your account, you’ll start playing more and more to fulfil your dreams; you might even leave your job to make fast money.
Time goes by, and you don’t even know it; gambling is now a part of your life and spending everything on it seems normal to you, so you don’t notice.
So, by the time you get used to everything, you need money for clothes, food, cigarettes, drinks etc.… but you won’t spend so much on other things because you have a very tight budget. You are now used to playing every single day, you can not afford clothes, food etc… and you’re greedy as well. This is when you start losing millions because of gambling.
Believe it or not, people fake being addicted, and let me tell you, that’s even worse than having an actual addiction. We all know how we feel after the player lost all the money; we know it was wrong, stupid, and shouldn’t have played. We promise that this was the last time we gamble.
So instead of saying that you were unlucky today, confess it; it was stupid, and you lost a lot of money again. From a different perspective, how would you feel if you were lucky in the end?
It might take a while for you to realize the problems post gaming emotions; it’s just a reaction of adrenalin in your blood; it’s like a dream you’re to stop the stress. Just imagine getting up and remembering you have a wallet full of money!
You probably haven’t heard of this, as most articles about addicted gamblers don’t add this to their paragraph. Gamblers who have a severe addiction keep trying to hide away from their problems; imagine getting monthly credits around 400-600 CAD, more than half of the people reading this article have families.
If you live by yourself and don’t have anyone to worry about, you’re rather lucky. These kinds of players gamble to win money that can help solve their issues. Many couples get divorced because of poverty. If we have love, why would you call something love if all that matters is the money?
I honestly feel bad for the people that rely on one salary to the other. These people live a life filled with lies and blaming others. There are millions of these kinds of people; they surround you. They might start drinking a lot and end up becoming an alcoholic too.
Sadly, there isn’t going to be a happy ending for most; it’s like a cycle. Some may stop gambling, but will they stop smoking? What the players assume: Well, I mean I look normal enough, I don’t owe people money, one won’t harm me! So, after you’ve read the article, do you have your answer? Are you addicted or not?
You need to know that many eras, generations and governments have changed, but gambling will never change. Why are people so addicted when we know that the casino always wins in the end?
Gambling can destroy a healthy relationship, and a good and stable workflow and can result in bankruptcy and many other things, whether you bet on poker, slots, sports, scratch, roulette or any Canadian online casino in general.
You may also end up borrowing or even stealing your savings. Addicted punters think it’s impossible to stop playing, but that isn’t true; you could most definitely get rid of your gamble dependence if you find the right therapist/expert.
Keep reading to get more information on how to handle your Gambling Addiction
| It would be best if you gambled at least once each day to be a hasty punter – Myths | You do not become a hasty player when you start betting every day; you become one when risking money starts causing problems – Fact |
| If a player can afford to lose money, then it’s not an addiction – Myths | Addiction isn’t all about spending a lot of money; gambling may lead to job loss, mental issues, stealing, anxiety, mental trauma, bad relationships, and even suicide – Fact |
| Each human has at least 1 issue per day, anyone with intelligence can get over it; it’s the same thing with gambling – Myths | Your intelligence level does not matter; gamblers with high, average and low knowledge have a gambling dependence – Fact |
| Someone close to the addicted gambler is usually the reason why they have gambling difficulties. These people could be a family member, a close friend or the person’s partner – Myths | Punters that have a gambling problem blame others for their mistakes quite often. They prefer putting all of that pressure on someone else, not to have to worry about their problems as much – Fact |
| If you are doubting whether to help the addicted gambler by paying his debts, you should. This way, you can help them recover – Myths | Trying to stop the addiction rapidly will not work; the gambler will know that someone will help them pay his/her debts, so they will continue playing – Fact |
There are many ways to stop gamble dependence, but one main way is that it helps the most. It would be best if you had a positive self-image to help you. All you need to get back to normal is a lot of inner- strength and positivity! This will be 100% needed if you are bankrupt or you have relationship or family problems because of the addiction.
One of the most used methods is to set a limit on your bank card. You can choose whether you want daily limits, weekly limits or monthly limits; this way, at some point, when you go over the amount of money that you put in, the micro-stakes show up, and you can’t bet more than the daily/weekly/monthly limit. So now you won’t have any problems with losing too much money.
A lot of big and popular casinos start getting concerned about players with gambling addiction. So all players in specific casinos get a chance to set daily, monthly or weekly limits. This works because once you reach your limit, the casino doesn’t let you deposit or continue a game. But I can always go back and set a new limit, then I can play again. The casinos have thought about that, too; if you want to set a new limit, you will have to wait one whole week to play and deposit again.
This method is different from the one above because it’s cautiously lowered limits. Getting rid of the addiction would be much more convenient. In this method, you have an option to have “special days “where you can increase your limits.
You have two options for this method: block the casinos that do not have stake limits or ask the bank to take the transactions from a specific operator. Then you can be able to play at one selected casino where you are the one in charge of the cost.
If you have a more severe addiction, you should definitely contact a specialist. There are particular groups where gamblers practise the therapy together, but unfortunately, these types of groups may only be found in large cities. In addition, the fee for this facility is available at many different prices. You could find a therapy site online, but this isn’t highly recommended as the two methods above help a lot more.
We do understand why players continue gambling at Canadian online casinos, even though there are many disadvantages; the reason for this is that their brain wants adrenalin more and more. Gamble dependence is not a sign of stupidity; it is a disease that needs medical treatment.