Deceitful gambling: How gambling can distort reality and hook your brain
Gambling can be called a "game or chance". It is fun, random luck, and an expression of collective engagement. This playful connotation could explain why 80 percent of American adults have gambled at least once in their lives. When I ask psychology students why people gamble, they most often respond that it is for pleasure, money, or the thrill.
While these may be the reasons people gamble at first, psychologists aren't sure why gambling becomes a compulsive or enjoyable distraction for some. What keeps people going even though gambling is not fun anymore? Why would you continue playing games that are meant to be lost? Are some people simply luckier than the rest or worse at calculating the odds of winning?
For the past 15 years I've been an addiction researcher. This is why I am able to see the brain and the lures that make gambling so appealing. Many of these hooks are deliberately hidden in the game design. These hooks are equally effective for casual casino-goers as they are for problem gamblers.
Uncertainty in the brain is its own reward
Uncertainty is a hallmark of gambling - regardless of whether it's the size and probability of winning - but this is one of the main features of gambling. Reward uncertainty is a key part of gambling's appeal.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that the brain releases when there is a reward. Dopamine release is higher in anticipation of a reward. This anticipation effect may explain why dopamine releases are linked to gambling addictions and high levels of gambling. It is also likely to play a part in the reinforcement of gamblers' high-risk behavior.
Studies have shown that dopamine is released during gambling in brain areas similar those activated by abuse drugs. The brain's response to repeated gambling exposure and uncertainty is similar to that of drugs. These reward pathways can be compared to the ones found in addicts to drugs and make them hypersensitive. Studies on animals show that gambling can increase gamblers' desire to use addictive drugs and their brain activity may change due to uncertainty.
Gambling and uncertainty can change your attitude to losing. In contrast to what you might think, people with gambling problems can feel the joy of winning almost as much as losing. Problem gamblers often feel the need to continue playing rather than being disappointed. This phenomenon is called chasing losses.
Sounds and lights can make you smile
Gambling involves more than winning and losing. The environment can become a complete immersive experience with a variety of flashing lights, sounds, and lights. This is especially true at busy casinos. However, even a gambling app or game on a smartphone can have plenty of visual and audio distractions to keep your attention.
But are they only frills? Research suggests that lights and sounds can be more appealing and trigger urges to play when they are coupled with reward uncertainty. Particularly, win-associated cues (such as jingles whose length and size depend on the size of the jackpot) can increase excitement and cause gamblers to underestimate how often they will win. These cues can help you gamble longer and encourage faster play.
Even when you lose, it's easy to feel like a winner
Because games of chance are set up in a way that the house always has the advantage, gamblers rarely win. The thrill of winning a jackpot is something you might not experience often. But the gaming industry might be able to solve this problem.
Casinos and game companies have made significant improvements to slot machines over the years, replacing the mechanical reels with electronic versions. These computerized online games have brighter lights and more sounds. They have more reels, which is a sign of a new era in multi-line video poker machines.
Multiplier lines enable players to place many bets per spin. This can often amount to up to 20. Although each bet might be very small, many players make the most of each spin by placing as many bets as they can. This strategy allows players to win on some lines but lose on others. The result is that the player will net less than their original wager. You can still lose even if you "win", a phenomenon called "losses disguised wins". Yet, every win, no matter how small, is filled with the light and sound of victory.
These multi-line slots are more enjoyable and much preferred by players. Importantly, they can cause gamblers to underestimate the amount of wins they actually win. An increase in wins, no matter how real or faked, may cause more stimulation and activation in reward pathways in the brain. This may accelerate the rate of brain changes. Multi-line slot machines may promote "darkflow," a trance-like state that allows players to become totally absorbed in the games, sometimes even for hours.
Almost: The Near-miss Effect and Chasing Your Losses
The advent of electronic gambling machines means that instead of being constrained by the physical arrangement and possible outcomes of each reel, potential outcomes can be programmed onto a series of virtual reels. Gaming designers have the ability to stack the deck so that certain events are more frequent than others.
These include near-misses where one of the reels stops just short to landing a winning combination. These almost-wins, which are often near-misses, stimulate brain areas that respond to wins. This can increase one's desire for more gambling, especially in problem gamblers.
This phenomenon is not limited to casino slots. Near-misses play an important part in the addictive power of smartphone games, such as "Candy Crush," which is very popular.
Even though it is more frustrating and less enjoyable than losing, near-misses are more stimulating than losses. However, it is more important to win than not winning. Near-misses are highly motivating, and they increase player commitment, which can lead to players playing longer than they intended. The severity of an individual’s gambling addiction correlates with how big the dopamine response to near-misses. These Must Be Some of the Best Kept Gambling Secrets in the World
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