Calling gambling as game of chance is more than enough to bring fun to those who are into it. But also, many are quick to think that it’s just random luck. Even though, many people still opt playing in online casino sites similar to https://hollandsegokken.nl/nieuwe-casinos/ primarily because of the pleasure, the thrill and the chance to win big money.

While all of these reasons may be the reason why people are gambling, psychologists are puzzled and still figuring out when gambling stops to some as being an enjoyable leisure and instead, a compulsive behavior. What is keeping people from playing even when the fun stops? Why are they still playing the games even though they know they’re likely to lose?

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Rewards

Uncertainty is among the pillars of gambling whether it is online or offline and regardless of the probability of winning and the size of the jackpot. Like it or not, reward uncertainty has a big contribution to how gambling easily attracts millions of people worldwide.

Dopamine is a body hormone that the brain is releasing whenever it feels something enjoyable. This can be literally anything from eating, having drugs, getting sex and so on. At the same time, it can be released as well at times when there’s reward uncertainty. The truth is, the release of dopamine is increased throughout times that the brain is expected certain reward.

Build Up of Anticipation

This level of anticipation can help explain to why dopamine release is parallel to a person’s “high” when gambling. Not to mention, the severity of their gambling addiction. Apart from that, it plays a part with the reinforcement of risk-taking behavior that’s seen in gambling.

There have been several studies showing that the release of dopamine when gambling happens in brain areas just as when those who are taking drugs. Truth is, just as with drugs, the repeated gambling exposure and the uncertainty it produces creates a lasting change to human brain. Such reward pathways like those seen in people who suffer from drug addiction becomes hypersensitive.

Cause and Effect

This repeated exposure to uncertainty and gambling can also be grounds for how a person is responding to losing. Counterintuitively, in people who have gambling problems, losing might trigger their dopamine release as a reward, nearly to the same extent when they are winning. Because of this, problem gamblers tend to play more when they lose in a machine or table.