The hidden forces that drive gambling behaviour – and how intervention can help
Annika Lindberg, Chartered Counselling Psychologist Specialising in Gambling Addiction & Behavioural addictions/Expert Panel Member, Mindway AI
Björn Skifs wasn’t singing about roulette wheels or slot machines when he belted out ‘Hooked on a Feeling’. His lyrics spoke of love. The kind of emotional high that drowns out reason. Yet, the psychology of emotion he tapped into runs parallel to what happens in gambling.
At its core, gambling is not a purely rational act. It’s often driven by feelings rather than facts: the excitement of anticipation, the rush of a near-miss, and a belief that with enough gambling the losses will be repaid and the gambling reined in.
Psychologists call this emotional reasoning. When people trust their feelings over evidence. In gambling, being ‘high on believing’ can be intoxicating and powerful enough to override logic and caution. Most people can flirt with that feeling safely. They place a bet, enjoy the thrill, and walk away. But for others, it does not stop there. What starts as entertainment becomes compulsion, with emotions leading them further into risk, even as losses mount and consequences become devastating.
Gambling is by no means a new construct. In fact, people have enjoyed gambling since the beginning of time. The design of gambling products has however evolved dramatically with many now being designed with precision and sophistication, harnessing psychology and technology in ways that can make them powerfully addictive. The difference between those who develop an addiction to gambling and those who don’t is not down to individual weakness or struggles with willpower. Rather, gambling addiction arises from the interplay of psychological, biological and environmental factors and, of course, from the inherently addictive design of gambling itself.
As a clinician who has treated addicted gamblers for over 20 years, I want to share some of the important foundations of how gambling works and how its design interacts with human psychology. Understanding the psychology of gambling and its driving forces is not only important for gamblers and therapists but is also crucial knowledge for operators and regulators. With better insights, we can design interventions and safeguards that better protect vulnerable individuals
The addictiveness of intermittent reinforcement schedules
To understand the psychology of gambling better, we need to home in on the concept of intermittent reinforcement schedules which was first described by the influential behaviourist BF Skinner in 1957.
Skinner was able to demonstrate how pigeons that were served a treat only intermittently as the they pecked at a lever, were more persistent, and stayed motivated for longer than in the conditions where treats were being supplied for every effort. Essentially, behaviours that have been conditioned through randomly occurring reinforcement will be more intense and more difficult to break away from than those that have been reinforced with consistently occurring rewards. Intermittent rewards increase motivation more than predictable, continuous rewards.
Gambling machines work on this premise, and humans respond much like the pigeons in the experiment to intermittent reinforcement – regardless of the context in which they are delivered. The intermittent reinforcement schedule that for instance a slot machine has in operation, features randomised pay-outs that will appear on a variable ratio. Wins will vary both in terms of frequency and amounts (sometimes you will have a large win, other times a small one, other times no wins at all).
Intermittent reinforcement and its effect on our experience and behaviour
For gamblers with limits and good coping skills, emotionally charged thought patterns are usually fleeting. Yet for a sub-set of individuals, the experience of being continuously exposed to gambling can be more profound and create a range of thinking errors. Here are some examples of the emotional reasoning often seen in addicted gamblers:
# Unpredictability increases tension and excitement
The unpredictability is exciting and motivating and produces a surge of dopamine in the brain. Feelings of hope and anticipation arise. For those that are vulnerable; obsessional thinking and intense dwelling on potential wins can become prolonged and lead to chasing. For some, the low and hopeless feelings that arise following on from a loss also produces a need to pick the mood up again- something that can happen quickly by scheming for another bet.
# Wins are unpredictable but will eventually come
Wins can happen but most sessions will result in a loss. Instead of allowing this rather logical and statistical fact to clearly demonstrate that a win is unlikely, the gambler instead comes to hope that one is ‘due’. This increases the motivation to keep trying even at times when it is not sensible and affordable.
#Near-misses
‘Almost-wins’ stimulates the same reward pathway in the brain as an actual win. It creates a sensation of being close to a win hence drives the motivation to continue to keep gambling.
# Illusions of control take hold
In addicted gamblers, the illusion of controlling the outcome of the game frequently happens through an over-belief in strategies, rituals and one’s own influence over the outcome of the game. Even superstitious beliefs and behaviours are not uncommon. This happens even at times when the game is one of complete chance and provides false reassurance of having control despite the uncertain conditions.
#Chasing losses
The inability to cut the losses and let go tends to intensify as the losses mount high. Beliefs about being ‘owed’ the money back makes it challenging to cut losses and walk away.
‘Hooked on a feeling… high on believing’
Many addicted gamblers come to believe that gambling is the only remaining way to recuperate what they lost. Some even believe that their gambling problems would enter remission if a significant enough win occurred. Not only do these distortions fuel further chasing- they also create major obstacles for recovery as they reduce motivation to quit. The failure to recognise just how emotional the activities have become, means gambling persists in filling one or many emotional ‘functions’.
Here are some common ones:
-An escape from anxiety, stress, loneliness and boredom (stress that is further intensified by gambling losses and losing control)
-The need to avoid difficult feelings that originate from early traumas, neglect and/or other life challenges
-Hope that even a small win can reignite the belief that financial problems can be solved or losses can be repaired.
-A way to feel important or to experience a sense of belonging
-The need for increased stimulation and to have a ‘headrush’ from time to time
Whilst gambling can powerfully appear to cater to these needs in the short-term, it is not long-lasting and generally comes at a great emotional cost. Relying on short, uncontrollable moments of relief, fuels a misguided compulsion to keep going back. This often happens under the guise of chasing money. Money that can represent the hope for freedom, repayments and at times wealth. Sadly, once the control has been lost, gambling will never deliver any of the above.
Individual risk factors
As I mentioned above, not everyone who gets exposed to gambling will become addicted. Certain risk factors make some individuals more vulnerable.
Temperament and personality: High impulsivity, sensation seeking or risk-taking profiles increase vulnerability.
Trauma and neglect: gambling can function as a self-soothing for unresolved emotional pain and early unmet needs.
Mental health conditions: Depression, anxiety and mood disorders often co-exist with gambling problems. These conditions can create a predisposition to develop addiction but can also be the result of one.
Environmental factors: Easy access to gambling products, repeated exposure to gambling (particularly from young age!) and financial tough times can all increase the risks of gambling ending up excessive.
How does treatment for gambling addiction work?
Effective treatment for gambling addiction involves a wide range of different techniques and interventions. Here are some examples:
- Cognitive interventions to help address distorted thinking patterns
- Emotion-focused interventions that helps in the development of better coping strategies and help addressing underlying wounds and traumas.
- Behavioural tools include building positive habits, financial safeguards, and external accountability
With loss of control being a hallmark symptom of gambling addiction, all treatment and player protection tools need to recognise that solely willpower cannot be relied on for engagement.
Above all, treatment must be individualised and reflect the personal profile of the gambler. Tailored interventions that target cognitive, emotional and behavioural strategies have the best chance of success.
Summary, prevention and accountability
Gambling is not just a harmless pastime that some people take too far. Its very design leverages the most addictive principles of human psychology. Intermittent reinforcement, distorted hope and the false offering of emotional escape can create a powerful cycle that can ensnare almost anybody if the right precautions are not in place.
For operators and regulators, recognising these mechanisms is vital. Safeguards, digital nudges and accountability systems matter for harm prevention. These must incorporate an understanding of how gambling ‘hooks’ the individual in as well as the challenges of breaking away.
For gamblers themselves, recovery starts with the acceptance of the problem as an addiction and not as one of financial deficit or ‘just poor self-discipline’.
Grasping the deeper ‘hooks’ of gambling psychology can help us better align prevention and interventions to help protect those that are vulnerable to gambling harms.
