Psychology of Risk-Taking: Why We Gamble

Even compulsive gamblers know that gambling carries risk…so why do people continue to gamble?

The answer is somewhat simple—it’s in human DNA to enjoy gambling, but not in the way that you may think. Keep reading to discover the psychology of risk-taking and the ultimate answer to why we gamble.

What Gambling Does to the Brain

1. Activates the Reward Centers

Studies have shown that gambling lights up the reward centers of the brain, the same ones that are lit up by drugs and sugar—meaning your brain gets a dose of happy hormones when you gamble. So, you aren’t just placing another bet because you think you might win, but because you are craving the dopamine that your brain is handing out when you place the bet, whether you win or lose.

The problem with this is, while you may not release additional dopamine when you lose, one hit from a single win can carry on for several spins or rolls—keeping you gaming (and happy about it) even when things aren’t going your way.

2. Increases the Dopamine Baseline

The other issue with dopamine is that your body grows used to it more quickly than almost any other drug. This means that gaming, or gambling, alters what you perceive as your “normal” happiness level. This leaves you seeking more and more risk to increase the amount of dopamine your brain releases, because the dose it released when you first placed a bet is no longer enough.

The result is a gambler who takes increasingly large risks as their gaming career continues.

3. Gambling Grants a Feeling of Inflated Self-Worth

One of the most important aspects of the psychology of gambling, especially when it comes to younger players, is the self-worth that gambling gives them. The thing with gambling is that it is all based on chance, but when you win, you feel like a winner. These feelings are further inflated by the fact that most gaming doesn’t require any skills, meaning you feel like you are just great as a person naturally.

Of course, it is a good thing to have a high self-worth. The only issue we find is that when a person’s lucky streak runs out, they will fight tooth and nail to continue to win—even to their own detriment. Because the associate gaming, and only gaming wins with their self-worth, they can quickly fall into a depression if they stop gambling.

4. Gambling is an Escape

Below, we discuss more about the history of human gambling and the fact that it is ingrained in human behavior. However, here we need to discuss that while the human existence is a gamble in and of itself, the fact remains that gambling, with money, fun pictures, and flashing lights, is an escape from other mandatory types of human gambling.

Would you rather try to get a new job or push a button on a slot machine? We know the answer, and the fact that gambling is such a good way to ignore regular life is one of the reasons individuals keep returning, even if they don’t have much more to spend.

5. Gambling Presents the Illusion of Control

Continuing on the aforementioned topic, gambling gives individuals who feel out of control in other aspects of their life, a way to feel in control of their future. They push a button, and they might receive a monetary win. This is so much more control than throwing your CV into 600 inboxes and hoping for a single interview.

Why Do Humans Gamble?

You might be reading this and wondering why anyone would step foot into a casino, but it’s not that simple. Human existence, as a whole, has always been a gamble. Ever since a caveman found a bush with berries and took a chance that they would be delicious and not poisonous.

Sadly, some of the bushes were filled with poison berries, and those cavemen died. We’ve grown as a society since then, but humans still crave taking a chance. You want to take a risk and see if it rewards you, not just because of your dopamine receptors, but because it is what we, as humans, have always done.

Regardless of what you may think, all humans take risks. Some just like to do it a gaming tables with established rules, while others take it as a CEO of a business. Women take one every time they conceive, hoping that this time they have a baby and not a miscarriage. Humans are built to take risks, and gambling is merely one outlet for that need.  

The issue is, because gambling is part of who we are as humans, how do you prevent someone from using an outlet that is detrimental to their financial and physical health?

Is Gambling an Addiction?

As we mentioned, everyone gambles in life, whether they realize it or not. That being said, if you find yourself gaming and unable to stop, it is considered an addiction, and you should seek help. Because gambling lights up the same reward centers as drugs, it can be just as hard to quit as drugs or alcohol. And even though there are gambles everyone has to take in their life, betting your entire net worth on a roulette spin is not one of them.

If you cannot stop gambling, seek help. Most casinos have pamphlets for local communities like Gamblers Anonymous, which can help you to stop playing. If you are playing online, a Google search can reveal national hotlines and other options for help in your area. Additionally, you can ask the online casino to ban you from their site—something which most are required to do by law.

Don’t forget that your family and friends are there to help. Tell them what is going on and ask them to help you stop.  After all, they would much rather have you happy and healthy and with the finances to support yourself now and in the future.