Carson Jones

4/10/2022
329
The Causes and Effects of Gambling Addiction

Introduction

Gambling has been around since historical times, but a few hundred years ago, gambling

turned into an organized fashion after the first casino was built. Since then, there has been a

constant increase in players, especially with the introduction of online gambling in 1994. The

popularity of gambling worldwide has raised many concerns due to its addictive nature. When an

individual becomes addicted to gambling, many negative effects come along, such as financial

loss, crippled relationships with friends and family, behavior problems, and mental and physical

health consequences. Due to its large player base and accessibility of gambling, the risk of

pathological gambling (obsessive/addictive behavior) has skyrocketed and shown the overall

effects to be destructive to individuals and those around them.

To acknowledge the destructiveness of gambling and the risk of addiction, the review

evaluates the components of gambling and how the games are structured to satisfy the players,

no matter the outcome. The research collected also discusses how a player's characteristics,

demographics, and environmental factors promote a higher risk of pathological gambling. The

review examines the above and beyond of how gambling addiction causes addictive behavior,

leading to substance abuse and other forms of addiction towards different things. The primary

purpose of this review is to define the different levels of play and how individuals are affected by

them, how the brain responds to playing to reduce pathological gambling, and the effects that

come with it based on the awareness of gambling.

The research will first examine the aspects of gambling and the player's characteristics to

determine why casino, online, lottery, etc., games are addicting based on the game's structure and
the player playing. The second problem is how accessibility like online gambling and casinos

puts individuals at higher risk for obsessive gambling based on a multitude of factors. The third

research question looks at different brain studies while active in gambling episodes to determine

what aspects of gambling are attractive to the human brain, making players come back

depending on the response. Lastly, the review pulls all the research together to note the essential

and damaging effects gambling has on individuals. The organization of the study will define

what gambling is and how people can become addicted, and the consequences it has on them and

others after obsessively gambling. Furthermore, the research does not provide an example of

ordinary people and famous figures about how gambling has destroyed their lives. To better

understand the destruction of pathological/addictive gambling, In this review, there are examples

of different types of people and their position on how gambling destroyed their careers/life.

Aspects of Gambling That Create Addictive Behavior

Gambling is designed in a way where players will keep coming back to play more often

and with higher stakes. To ensure this, the structure of the games needs to motivate the players.

The academic article “What motivates gambling behavior? Insight into dopamine’s role.” clearly

discusses the motivations behind gambling that bring players back and why. Anselme and

Robinson (2013) stated, “money is a gambler's primary motivation, and randomness in games

allows the gambler to hope that the gains will overcome the losses.” (p. 1). The attractiveness of

gambling is supported by money. The idea of winning big is rare, but casinos design their games

to make it seem like it often happens, motivating players to bet despite the reward uncertainty.

Diving deeper into the motivations of gambling, Meng and Leary (2021) observed that

“Individuals with a heightened illusion of control experience a temporary state of power that
motivates them to alter their behavior based on the perception that they are able to hold sway

over desired outcomes.” (p. 626). The authors described the illusion of control as players

choosing their lottery tickets or placing their chips on a roulette table because they believe it’s up

to them to win, but in reality, the games just want the players to think that, so they’ll bet more.

Gambling Addiction and Player’s Characteristics

Gambling addiction is common, but individuals with specific characteristics,

demographics, and psychographics are higher at risk for addiction than others. Redondo (2015)

stated that “males and young people have a higher level of susceptibility to developing/

maintaining gambling disorders.” (p. 585). Demographics play a crucial role in addiction, as

males and young people are at higher risk than others. According to the statistics from Wong,

Zane, Saw, and Chan (2013), 91% of college men and 84% of college women reported engaging

in gambling, and 14% of men gambled at problematic levels while only 3% of women did. (p.

171). College students are young adults, and both genders showed high gambling percentages.

Still, men showed higher rates of obsessive gambling, showing that demographics of age and

gender play a crucial role in gambling addiction.

On another note, characteristics and psychographics like personality, lifestyle, values,

interests, attitudes, and opinions determine the level of risk for gambling addiction. According to

Redondo (2015), “Regarding psychographics, gambling disorders are associated with a low level

of self-control, a high level of impulsiveness, unhealthful lifestyle choices, a low level of

religiosity, low sociability, and a lack of family cohesion.” (p. 171). Personal experiences

throughout a player's childhood can also determine how vulnerable they are to gambling

disorders such as abuse and trauma.

Accessibility of Gambling and Its Risk

Thousands of casinos have been built worldwide and increasing by the day; their

accessibility allows individuals to gamble in many different places. In comparison, lottery tickets

can be bought nearly anywhere, including locations people visit daily, like gas stations and

grocery stores. Although both of these forms of gambling are highly accessible, Redondo (2015)

states that casinos are at higher risk for addiction because the time lapse between bet placement

and outcome determination is much shorter than in lotteries. (p. 171). Identifying that gambling

disorders are more common among casino players than lottery players.

Since the introduction of online gambling in 1994, there has been a dramatic and rapid

increase in players because it can be accessed by nearly everyone anywhere. Gamblers can

access games from their computer, tablet, or smartphones in controlled environments giving

them the illusion that they're in control. According to Redondo (2015), “Internet makes for

riskier betting conditions than those found in brick-and-mortar settings, such as greater

accessibility and convenience, potential anonymity, high-speed playability, and a greater feeling

of self-control.” (p. 173). Playing online behind a screen allows players to be anonymous,

making users more comfortable and safer. Because no limitations or people are watching, anyone

can play, even those who do not meet the requirements, which can be hazardous to an individual

if they start gambling at a younger age than usual. Redondo (2015) observes that the use of

“electronic cash” has a lower psychological value than “real money.” which can explain why

online gamblers tend to stake more (betting larger amounts of chips) and make riskier bets

because the money being used doesn’t seem nearly as real. (p. 173).

NFL (National Football League) is one of the most-watched sports worldwide, with

millions of viewers watching it. But with every big organization, there are a lot of rules the
players have to follow to participate in the game. According to the article, “Calvin Ridley and

The NFL’s Dangerous Bet On Gambling,” Yakowicz, a writer for Forbes, stated that “Gambling

is one of the worst offenses a player or an NFL coach or staff member can commit.” The NFL

takes gambling very seriously. In fact, the suspension period is more extended for a player if they

gamble than abusing a spouse or significant other. Unfortunately, the consequences of gambling

didn’t stop Calvin Ridley, a famous WR for the Atlanta Falcons. In November 2021, Ridley

placed eight parlays through the Hard Rock Casino app (Yakowicz, 2022). The online app

allowed Ridley to gamble anonymously with self-control because if he walked into a casino, he

would’ve been flagged instantly by staff members or other players. Ridley, who was on the

non-football illness list to address his mental health, was later suspended for one season in the

NFL for obstructing their guidelines.

The Brain in Gambling

The brain is the heart of gambling. It controls individuals to come back based on the

attractiveness of gambling. The review has discussed what makes gambling addictive through

the structure of gambling and the player's characteristics, but the brain's response creates

addiction. In the article “Gambling Disorders.” the authors Hodgins, Stea, and Grant (2011)

stated that “Alterations in dopaminergic pathways might underlie the seeking of rewards (i.e.,

gambling) that trigger the release of dopamine and produce feelings of pleasure.” (p. 1877).

Dopamine in our brain chases the feeling of pleasure and enables the way humans think and

plan. Dopamine is at its maximum levels during gambling episodes and is released based on

gambling design, like near-misses and reward uncertainty. Because there are such high levels of

dopamine release and satisfaction, the way we think and plan can revolve around gambling,
creating a solid addiction to gambling. According to Responsible Gambling (2021), “When you

gamble often, activity in the brain changes. You may find yourself chasing that feeling it once

gave you. This can be a sign of gambling addiction.” Images from Responsible Gambling show

how the brain becomes accustomed to gambling. At first, the brain is highly active when

gambling, but as you bet regularly, the brain becomes comfortable, requiring more gambling to

attain that before feeling pleasure.

The Effects of Gambling

The effects of gambling can have devastating impacts on one’s life and the people around

them. An addiction to gambling leaves the player spending too much time and money wagered,

and they continue to do so despite substantial and negative consequences. The most common

effects of obsessive gambling are personal, social, family, and financial problems, but other

addictions follow when you become accustomed to gambling. According to Hodgins, Stea, and

Grant (2011), “pathological gamblers had an increased risk of having a diagnosis of alcohol

misuse in their lifetimes by a factor of six, and an increased risk of having a substance use

disorder by a factor of 4·4 compared with non-gamblers” (p. 1876). Players are more vulnerable

to drug addiction and alcohol misuse because they become comfortable with addiction. Also,

gambling areas are heavily influenced by alcohol, and drugs are easy to come by, so the more

time you spend gambling, the more time you’re vulnerable to alcohol and drugs. Also, when

gambling, losing money is a given, but sometimes people lose more than they can afford.

Individuals are so focused on making up for the money they lost that they’ll turn to illegal things

like selling drugs to make up for the lost money.

 Gambling addiction can lead to severe mental health issues that can affect individuals for

an extended period. Rates of major depression and dysthymia were about three times higher in

pathological gamblers than in non-gamblers, and the rates of manic episodes (aggressive

behavior) were eight times higher in gamblers. Also, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and

specific phobias were three times higher in gamblers. (Hodgins, Stea, Grant, 2011, p. 1876).

Additionally, Dowling published an article for AGRC (Australian Gambling Research Centre)

called “The impact of gambling problems on families.” and stated that “The family environments

of people with gambling problems are also characterized by high levels of anger and conflict as

well as low levels of clear and effective communication, less independence, less engagement in

intellectual and cultural activities, a lack of commitment and support, little direct expression of

feelings, and less participation in social and recreational activities” (Dowling, 2014, p. 3). The

overall effects of gambling don’t just affect an individual’s lifestyle and mental health, but those

around them are also significantly affected just as much, if not more.

Conclusion

The research identified the aspects of gambling created to attract players. Specific

characteristics of the player can be at higher risk than others. How accessibility has made the

gambling community more vulnerable to addiction than ever with the help of online gambling

and the variety of casinos around the world. The research also examined the brain’s response to

gambling and how it makes individuals want to play more by releasing extensive amounts of

dopamine, providing a sensational feeling of pleasure. Lastly, the research looked into the overall

effects of gambling, which was quite destructive to an individual's family, lifestyle, mental

health, and financial status.

 Gambling is one of the most exercised practices globally, but many are unaware of the

adverse effects. People need to understand the motivations behind gambling and how the brain

responds in gambling episodes to prevent obsessive gambling. This research evaluates and

determines what makes a player addicted to gambling and its effects. Although a lot of

information was collected and discussed, more information needs to be considered and

researched because gambling is constantly innovating every day to find new ways to bring more

and more players into the game, despite the negative outcome on individuals. Overall, the

research provides knowledge on gambling, and the more you know about gambling, the more

prepared you will be when faced with gambling and those suffering from gambling addiction.
References

Anselme, P., & Robinson, M. J. (2013). What motivates gambling behavior? Insight into
dopamine's role. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 7, 182.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00182

David C Hodgins, Jonathan N Stea, Jon E Grant, Gambling disorders,The Lancet, Volume 378,
Issue 9806,2011, Pages 1874-1884,ISSN 0140-6736, https://www.sciencedirect
.com/science/article/pii/S014067361062185X

Dowling, N. (2014, November 25). The impact of gambling problems on families. Australian
Gambling Research Centre. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from
https://aifs.gov.au/agrc/publications/impact-gambling-problems-families

Meng, M.D., Leary, R.B. The Effect of Skeuomorphic Digital Interfaces on the Illusion of
Control over Gambling Outcomes. J Gambl Stud 37, 623–642 (2021).
https://doi-org.ezproxy3.library.arizona.edu/10.1007/s10899-020-09961-2

Redondo, I. Assessing the Risks Associated With Online Lottery and Casino Gambling: A
Comparative Analysis of Players’ Individual Characteristics and Types of Gambling. Int
J Ment Health Addiction 13, 584–596 (2015).
https://doi-org.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/10.1007/s11469-014-9531-0

Responsible Gambling [@vicrgf]. “When you gamble often, activity in the brain changes. You
may find yourself chasing that feeling it once gave you. This can be a sign of gambling
addiction.” Twitter, 19 October 2021,
https://twitter.com/vicrgf/status/1450674587625160704

Wong, G., Zane, N., Saw, A., & Chan, A. K. (2013). Examining gender differences for gambling
engagement and gambling problems among emerging adults. Journal of gambling
studies, 29(2), 171–189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-012-9305-1

Yakowicz, W. (2022, March 10). Calvin Ridley and the NFL's dangerous bet on gambling.
Forbes. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2022/03/09
/calvin-ridley-and-the-nfls-dangerous-bet-on-gambling/?sh=2fae9873759c