Why Is It So Easy To Fall Into Addiction To Online Betting?
Betting and gambling have been with us for generations, as a form of entertainment or as a way to try to get rich. When we talk about games of chance, most people think of “slot” machines, roulette and other casino games, bingo or even the lottery.
And as everyone knows, Many people have developed an addiction problem with these games of chance over the years Why is it that so many people fall into this process of dependency? Let’s see it.
What makes it so easy to become addicted to online gambling?
We can simplify the concept of addiction as the case in which a person loses control over a certain behavior It can be consuming alcohol, smoking tobacco or snorting cocaine for example (the classic chemical addictions), but we can also talk about non-chemical or behavioral addictions.
Addiction to betting or games of chance (also known as gambling addiction) is an increasingly common form of addiction in our society, unfortunately. And technology, just as it brings us many benefits and opportunities that we couldn’t even dream of years ago… can also contribute to aggravating a certain problem.
Online betting is here to stay, and it is changing gambling addiction as we know it. In the following lines I am going to tell you the main reasons why online gambling addiction is more dangerous than traditional gambling
They practically give us a mobile phone when we start reading, Any person in our country has access to a smartphone with Internet access
There is no need to drive to faraway places, or even go down to the betting parlor on the corner. You only need to connect to one of the online betting house platforms to start playing. In addition, these platforms usually provide players with facilities to encourage playing, such as “giving” them welcome credits so that they play more at first.
2. Anonymity
Traditionally, If a person had to go down to the machine at the bar downstairs, maybe they would think about it from what his neighbors and acquaintances might think when they saw him very often playing and betting his salary.
However, that barrier no longer exists. Any person, even a minor who falsifies their identity, can create an account on a betting page or application and start their adventures with very little money. He could be in his living room betting on his cell phone, and the people around him would believe that he is simply on the most innocent social networks.
3. Variable ratio reward
When a person consumes, for example, cocaine, they can predict when they will feel the “high”, within a few seconds of consuming. However, With gambling you cannot predict when exactly the reward will come (win a game, for example).
It has been observed in a multitude of scientific research that, in the moments when the “unpredictable” reward arrives, the dopamine rush at the brain level is greater than even other drugs. That is, this makes people who gamble more likely to develop an addiction than even other people who use drugs.
The big betting houses handle unimaginable amounts of money, so They have enough resources to create mammoth marketing campaigns, and pay famous people and celebrities to promote their betting platforms. It is very common to see popular footballers starring in advertisements and betting campaigns.
By associating celebrities or characters that we admire with betting, it is easier for people to look at them with different eyes and be more inclined to gamble.
5. Acceptance by the population
In a similar way to what happens with alcohol and tobacco, since they are legal drugs, A large part of the population does not perceive them as such a health risk “If it were really dangerous, it would be prohibited” or “if it is legal, it is not a drug.”
In the same way, since gambling is legalized and has so few limitations, many people normalize gambling in their environment, making it more difficult for them to perceive all the risk it entails.
Specifically in Spain, it is the country in the world where the lottery moves the most money. Culturally, we are much more permissive with gambling than other European countries and that conditions us towards greater openness towards games of chance in general.
What to do in case of problem gambling?
That’s it for the article. If you think that you or someone around you is developing a gambling problem of any kind, it is best to consult with a specialist as soon as possible. It is important to go to a professional as soon as possible.
