The Psychology of Gambling

Gambling is fast becoming one of the favorite forms of entertainment in the UK, especially with the rise of casino online platforms. For some, however, it can turn into an addiction. Improvements in brain imaging techniques are helping Cambridge scientists understand why.

But this comes at a cost. For certain individuals, gambling becomes an out-of-control habit. Problem gambling is a recognized mental health condition affecting around 1% of the population.

Against the Odds

Gambling is a paradox: “The house always wins.” When you are gambling on fruit machines, horse races, blackjack, or roulette, the odds are set to ensure that the casino or bookmaker makes a profit. The only way that this can be achieved is for the gambler to make a steady loss. Why do gamblers, let alone problem gamblers, continue playing in view of the high probability of losing money?

Dr. Luke Clark is in the Department of Experimental Psychology. He examines how gamblers miscalculate their chances of winning. He centers his studies on near-misses and the influence of personal choice. Gambling games provide the player with an “illusion of control.” They create in gamblers the feeling that they are able to determine the outcome, when in fact the outcome will be based on luck.

Imagining the Gambling Brain

New advances in brain imaging are allowing scientists to see how gambling game features drive players to keep playing.

Past research shows a clear pattern of brain activity in humans when they win money. Dr. Clark is studying how the reward circuit works. He measures this while volunteers face near-misses and choices in a gambling task.

Hallmarks of Addiction

Gamblers tend to play longer and make bigger bets due to near-misses and personal choices. Over time, these skewed views of winning can lead to “loss chasing.” Gamblers keep playing to try to recover their growing debts. Loss chasing is a key sign of problem gambling. It’s like drug addiction. Problem gamblers have cravings and withdrawal symptoms if they can’t gamble.

Problem gambling is linked to a range of psychological factors. It may also have important biological influences. Dopamine is a brain chemical that plays a key role in drug addiction. It may also be improperly regulated in problem gambling. Other brain systems are important too. One key area is the orbitofrontal cortex, located above the eye sockets in the frontal lobes.

After damage to the orbitofrontal area, neurosurgical patients often change how they judge risks. Dr. Clark is working with Dr. Antoine Bechara at the University of Southern California. They are measuring betting behavior in a group of patients who have similar damage. They use a simple gambling task for this study. Chemical imbalances in this brain area might happen when a person goes from regular gambling to problem gambling.

Help for problem gamblers?

This research deepens our understanding of self-control in gamblers. It can guide treatments for problem gambling, using both drugs and therapy. Looking at how near-misses and personal choices play a role in gambling addiction can help us strengthen future laws. This might offer better protection for those at risk.

Promoting an Illusion of Control

Near-misses occur when the outcome is close to the jackpot, but no win occurs. There are many near-misses in gambling. For example, your horse might run second. A near-miss rate that’s moderate promotes longer periods of gambling by students who usually don’t gamble. Those with problems with gambling often view near-misses as signs that they are getting better at the game. They believe a win is coming soon.

Personal choice is another factor in illusory control. It describes cases where the gambler has some say in how they place their bets. Roulette players tend to bet more when they can toss the ball themselves. This is different from when the croupier does it for them. Lottery players often like to use their own number sequences. They may refuse to swap their ticket for random numbers. Choice seems to suggest that skill affects the game, but the outcome is random.