There is a psychology behind the thrill of playing online casino games. You feel the excitement of making a bet with the possibility of a return on investment if the wager is successful. Hence, dopamine is released throughout your body, which is known as a neurotransmitter that helps you feel happy and relaxed.
Here, we analyze the science and psychology behind why online casino games are so thrilling to play. How and why is dopamine released while playing casino games?
Gambler’s High: The Release of Dopamine
The dopamine release felt while casino gaming is better known as “gambler’s high”. The more that a casino player gambles, the more their brain becomes accustomed to the rising and falling levels of dopamine they seek out the feeling more by continuing to place wagers. Satisfying the gambler’s high could mean placing bets more repeatedly than a prior play session to fulfill an adequate dopamine release.
Handling Dopamine Release From A Loss
When you play in an online casino, whether you wager table games or slots, it releases dopamine. There are many ways to play games of chance (sometimes with a dash of strategy if you are playing roulette, Blackjack, or poker) with the chance to earn real money. There are no guarantees that you will receive a return on your initial bet investment, but the thrill of the casino-playing experience makes it all the more fun.
Surprisingly, even when you lose a casino bet, your brain still releases dopamine just as it would if you were to win. Players enduring one loss after the other are eventually stoked if they discover they won some or all of the lost money back. Hence, it can be difficult to know when to stop placing bets if you are especially hooked on casino gaming because of how the dopamine release works when winning or losing.
The difference between casino gaming players handling the dopamine release when losing wagers is how they instill healthy play habits in their gaming routines. Instead of continuing to make wagers for the sake of possibly winning back lost bets, casino gamers with the healthiest play style know when to cut their losses and stop betting.
How Gambling Can Become An Addiction
Dopamine is the same brain chemical responsible for causing alcohol or drug addictions when a person does not know how to stop seeking what gives them pleasure using healthy habits. Hence, gambling can become a negative habit or a full-fledged addiction affecting one’s financial and mental well-being if betting is done irresponsibly.
As a casino gamer keeps losing money on their bets, it can trigger a cognitive distortion in their brain that can be the orchestrator of gambling addiction. Rather than accepting a lost wager and walking away from the casino game causing such monetary loss, a casino player experiencing a cognitive distortion will continue to wager with the hopes of gaining a return on investment with that possible chance of a win.
Players with a high sense of ego or pride have a higher chance of experiencing such cognitive distortion. Those who experience hyperactivity or depressive disorders that imbalance their emotions may also be more susceptible to gambling addiction.
Conclusion
Sure, making wagers on casino games is a fun thrill. However, it should be practiced as a healthy habit to prevent a spiraling addiction. Play responsibly!
