Researchers think that in some cases the resulting chemical influx modifies the brain in a way that makes risks and rewards—say, those in a game of poker—more appealing and rash decisions more difficult to resist. A new understanding of compulsive gambling has also helped scientists redefine addiction itself. Whereas experts used to think of addiction as dependency on a chemical, they now define it as repeatedly pursuing a rewarding experience despite serious repercussions.
That experience could be the high of cocaine or heroin or the thrill of doubling one's money at the casino. Redefining compulsive gambling as an addiction is not mere semantics: therapists have already found that pathological gamblers respond much better to medication and therapy typically used for addictions rather than strategies for taming compulsions such as trichotillomania.
For reasons that remain unclear, certain antidepressants alleviate the symptoms of some impulse-control disorders; they have never worked as well for pathological gambling, however. Medications used to treat substance addictions have proved much more effective. Opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone, indirectly inhibit brain cells from producing dopamine, thereby reducing cravings. Dozens of studies confirm that another effective treatment for addiction is cognitive-behavior therapy, which teaches people to resist unwanted thoughts and habits.
Gambling addicts may, for example, learn to confront irrational beliefs, namely the notion that a string of losses or a near miss—such as two out of three cherries on a slot machine—signals an imminent win. Unfortunately, researchers estimate that more than 80 percent of gambling addicts never seek treatment in the first place.
And of those who do, up to 75 percent return to the gaming halls, making prevention all the more important. Around the U. Marc Lefkowitz of the California Council on Problem Gambling regularly trains casino managers and employees to keep an eye out for worrisome trends, such as customers who spend increasing amounts of time and money gambling.
He urges casinos to give gamblers the option to voluntarily ban themselves and to prominently display brochures about Gamblers Anonymous and other treatment options near ATM machines and pay phones. A gambling addict may be a huge source of revenue for a casino at first, but many end up owing massive debts they cannot pay.
Shirley, now 60, currently works as a peer counselor in a treatment program for gambling addicts. But for some people it's a dangerous product. I want people to understand that you really can get addicted. I'd like to see every casino out there take responsibility. This article was originally published with the title "Gambling on the Brain" in Scientific American , 5, November Mobile gambling means individuals can easily lose large sums of money.
There is also the risk of children using stolen details to gamble online, with one study suggesting two-fifths of year-olds have gambled in the past year. There have also been claims that online data profiling is being used to target poorer people, who tend to spend a higher proportion of their income on gambling.
One way to reduce the risks could be for problem gamblers to be recognised by the same algorithms used to offer rewards on gaming websites. Instead, they could be offered targeted support, and potentially have their access to these sites restricted. There are growing calls for gambling to be reframed as a public health issue , like smoking and physical inactivity, which also disproportionately affect poorer people. National campaigns about the dangers of gambling, similar to those used to combat obesity and smoking, could be launched, and the issue highlighted by health professionals, debt advisers and within the school curriculum.
In the future, we may have to ask ourselves as a society whether the benefits of promoting gambling outweigh the harms. About this piece. This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from experts working for an outside organisation. You can follow him on Twitter here. Image source, Getty Images. Who is most likely to have a gambling problem?
Their report suggested problem gamblers were:. The effects of gambling Know the odds Personal stories Gambling and how it affects the brain. Support someone I'm worried about someone Preparing yourself Understanding why people gamble Having the conversation. Understanding why people gamble Someone may start gambling for fun and have some early wins. For coping reasons — for someone to forget their worries, because they feel more self-confident, or because it helps when they are feeling nervous or depressed.
Here is more information which may be helpful before you have the conversation with the person about their gambling: Take a look at the effective treatments available for gambling addiction and encourage them to seek the most appropriate type of help for them. The main neurotransmitter in the reward system is known as dopamine. When enough dopamine is released due to stimulating, enjoyable activities, we experience euphoria and pleasure, and feel motivated particularly to do that same activity again.
This also happens when gambling. But the thing is: most people easily walk away after playing a few rounds of poker or putting a dozen or so coins in a slot machine, having enjoyed the fun while it lasted.
When an individual continues gambling, several other factors might be in play, and things get complicated. First of all:. Research shows that problem gamblers and drug addicts often have genetic predispositions for reward-seeking behaviours and impulsivity. The two main ones are:. They are therefore drawn to activities that stimulate reward pathways more than usual; ones that are enough to make them feel a satisfactory amount of euphoria and pleasure — for example, the high that taking drugs or gambling creates.
The prefrontal cortex is an area of our brain involved in decision-making, controlling impulses, and cognitive control, and studies have revealed that problem gamblers and drug addicts had less activation of the prefrontal cortex than the average person.
Thus, controlling their impulse to throw the dice or pull the lever of a slot machine just one more time is significantly harder for them. Impulsivity is in their nature and they have difficulty making decisions that assess the long-term impact of their short-term actions. This is when the brain starts physically changing in terms of how its reward system responds to stimulation. Have you ever played a game on your phone that was really entertaining at first, but after several play sessions stopped being fun?
To put it scientifically: when the brain is being overstimulated by excessive drug use or gambling, the brain boosts its defensive reaction which makes the reward system less efficient. The number of dopamine receptors is reduced; less dopamine goes through the brain and therefore the level of pleasure the individual experiences is reduced.
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