How Gambling
Affects the Brain

The Psychology of Gambling

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How Gambling Affects the Brain - Left Shape

How Gambling Affects the Brain - Right Shape

How Much Americans Participated in Some Form of Gambling by Age

Participated in some form of gambling in the past year

Gambled in a casino in the past year

Placed a sports bet

Personal View of Casino Gambling

Acceptable for me and others

Acceptable for others, but not for me presonally

Not acceptable for anyone

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

Luck Is About to Turn Around

Open 3 cards, collect 3 of a kind,
and test your luck!

Near wins stimulate the brain in the same way as real victories, keeping players engaged and encouraging them to keep playing. This is the psychological impact of gambling on our minds.

+0.50 points

Near wins are rated more highly than complete losses

+3.28 credits

The average increase in bet size after a near loss

0.66 sec

Speed of the next spin after a near win

A near win can encourage you to keep playing, but does it affect your habits?

Brain Areas Affected by Gambling

Pathological gambling alters two main brain areas:

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)

Influences decision-making and risk assessment

Striatum

Part of the brain's reward system that shows increased activity even during near-misses and losses

Pathological Gambling in Numbers

Pathological gambling affects 1% of the population

Gambling affects the brain's reward system in a similar way to drug addiction

In the U.S., 1-4% of adults are estimated to be problem gamblers

Casual Gambler vs Pathological Gambler

How Their Brains Differ

Casual Gambler

Brain activity in the vmPFC and striatum fluctuates normally and responds mainly to wins.

Pathological Gambler

The brain rewires itself, showing increased activity even during losses or near-misses, tricking the brain into chasing more bets.

How Dopamine Drives Gambling Addiction

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating pleasure and reward.

In pathological gamblers, dopamine dysfunction causes the brain to crave more bets, leading to compulsive gambling.

Normal

Gambling

Addiction

The Effect of Gambling on Mood

Initial Excitement

At the first stage, gambling brings joy and increases feelings of pleasure.
The player experiences satisfaction from winning, and the risk adds excitement.

Return to Natural Mood Setpoint

After the initial excitement, the mood returns to its natural level. The player starts looking for a way to regain the initial high, which leads them to play again.

Increased Stress and Emerging Problems

Over time, gambling becomes more frequent, leading to financial issues, debt, and the need to hide their behavior. These factors create stress, and the player’s mood level begins to drop even outside of gambling.

Loss of Pleasure from Gambling

At this stage, gambling no longer brings the same joy as before. The player feels that gambling no longer provides the same level of pleasure but continues playing in an attempt to regain lost feelings.

Lowered Mood Setpoint and Depression

Addiction lowers the baseline mood level, which can reach such a low point that the player may fall into depression. At this stage, even natural sources of pleasure fail to bring joy, and life begins to lose its color.

Lost Ability to Enjoy Everyday Activities

Problem gambling affects emotional health so deeply that the player loses the ability to enjoy life. Things that once brought happiness no longer elicit positive emotions.

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