Online gambling can be a lot of fun but turn sour really fast if you’re not careful. It’s undeniable that gambling can be addictive, but have you ever wondered why that is? In this article, we’ll go into the psychology of online gambling and give you some valuable insight.
As well as that, we’ll help you build better gambling habits and show you how you can mitigate the risk of addiction.
The Power of Dopamine
Essentially, gambling becomes an addiction in the same way as everything else. Winning makes you feel good and releases a happy hormone called dopamine. But after a while, you need to start taking bigger risks in order to feel the same levels of dopamine as when you first started.
Most people either don’t realise this is happening or they’re powerless to stop it by themselves, which is how addiction develops. Online casinos know this, which is why they have many services that raise both your adrenaline and dopamine levels.
But, if you take certain precautions, you can mitigate these risks and keep gambling as just a hobby.
Bonuses & Loyalty Programs
One way that casinos keep you playing is by offering bonuses on a regular and recurring basis. Whether it’s a nice welcome offer, a monthly cashback, or a weekly reload bonus, casinos draw you in and keep you around without you even realising.
While bonuses themselves can be a fun way to boost your bankroll or try a new game, people start feeling compelled to claim every one that pops up if there are too many of them. Then it becomes a slippery slope to spending more time at the casino than you intended and regularly exceeding your budget.
Loyalty programs work the same way, with the addition of keeping you motivated to log in on a frequent basis. This is because some casinos revoke your loyalty status if you haven’t been active in a while. On top of that, loyalty programs can be even more powerful than simple bonuses, as you have to unlock your own rewards. This makes you feel like you’ve earned your prize and makes the dopamine hit harder.
Wide Range of Games
Though having a wide variety of games is good for business, it can also be debilitating for a lot of players. They may feel compelled to keep playing as there’s simply so much to explore. This can again lead to playing longer and more often than the player intended.
That’s why small casinos can even be preferable if you’re prone to addiction. There are simply fewer options to choose from, making it more likely you’ll get bored and go do something else for a while.
Convenience
Online casinos and mobile gaming are two of the most convenient ways to get your entertainment. You don’t have to do much— just grab your device and start playing in a few seconds. This is a double-edged sword, though, as that convenience can lead you to take less frequent breaks from gambling.
In the olden days of land-based casinos, you had to wait until the casino was open and you had to physically go outside and take a walk in order to play. If you were feeling lazy, it was possible that you’d skip going altogether, giving you a chance to regulate your nervous system more efficiently.
Today, it takes a lot of self-control not to play whenever you want. It’s the same effect that social media has on us— sometimes we don’t even notice how much time we’ve spent glued to our phone.
Anonymity
Most online casinos let you choose a username when you register. That means you don’t have to use your real name to play and interact with others. This degree of anonymity can make us feel safer saying and doing things we usually wouldn’t. After all, no one knows who we are, so the consequences can’t be so big.
This kind of thinking is very human, but it can also lead to more risk-taking. It makes it easier for us to forget that this isn’t just a game and that we are in fact playing with real money, which can in turn lead us to spend more than we anticipated on a regular basis.
How To Mitigate the Risks
When we lay things out like this, it can seem like online gambling is best to be avoided entirely. But, that’s not entirely true. You can mitigate the risks if you have the right attitude and strategy for playing online.
A Safe Environment
Making sure you’re playing in a safe environment is the first step in cultivating healthy gambling habits. Casinos with the right certifications and good reputations will make you feel well-taken care of. As well as that, you won’t feel pressured to play or claim each bonus that comes your way.
Here are some of the things you should look for in your next casino:
- Licencing and certifications: The operator should have a valid licence from a gaming authority that confirms the games have been tested and proven fair. It doesn’t hurt if the casino has additional third-party certifications that state the games use RNG (Random Number Generator). When a game is fair, you’ll know your chances of winning are equal with each bet. This will make it easier for you to stop playing when you intended and won’t make you feel like you need to or should chase losses.
- Good customer support: If the casino cares about its players, it will invest in a good customer support system. This means that you can always talk to the agents about how you’re feeling and ask for guidance if you want to improve your habits.
- Fair playing conditions: Casinos that have very strict playing conditions like high wagering requirements (over 50x) and low winning caps for bonuses won’t let you keep as much of your winnings. Yet, they’ll make you work hard and keep you playing for longer. You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to have a normal playing experience and the right casino will agree with that.
One of the best ways to find a safe gambling environment is to regularly visit sites like the Master of Casinos, Indian online casino reviewer. These reviews are written by industry experts and they explain everything you need to know about popular and less popular casinos. That way, you can see what the operator is like and if the playing conditions are fair before you sign up. This can save you a lot of time and disappointment.
Responsible Gambling Tools
Responsible gambling tools are the perfect way to keep yourself on track with your goals and play only as much as you intend to. A lot of popular casinos offer tools that help you track deposits, losses, wagers, and time. You can set custom limits that will automatically block you from depositing more if the restriction is met, for example. Time limits will block you from playing after a specified period of time has passed for your current gaming session.
The best part is that you can change these limits to fit your changing playing style. If you want to increase them, you’ll usually have to wait at least 24 hours before the changes take effect. This will give you enough time to cool off and reconsider any rash decisions you might have made. But, if you want to decrease the limit, the change will take place immediately.
The only downside is that not all casinos have the same tools and some don’t have them at all. Thankfully, you can still use apps, set alarms for yourself, or write down your deposits to track them. Let’s not forget that a lot of banks also offer transaction limits. You should take advantage of these systems as they will help you stay in control for a long time.
The one thing that almost every casino has is a self-exclusion option. This option will block you from your account for up to six months. Though it’s a drastic step, it’s great for those who feel like their gambling is getting the best of them. Self-exclusion can give you a chance to reevaluate some things and maybe even seek help if you feel like you need it. In most cases, you will have to contact customer support and tell them that you’d like to be excluded.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you better understand the effects gambling can have on us. No matter how strong and in control we think we are, gambling can become addictive to all of us without proper self-care. The tips outlined above will help you foster some good habits and allow you to keep gambling just as a hobby. Remember, play in reputable casinos only and responsible gambling tools are your friend! We’re confident that you can stay safe and enjoy your favourite hobby without suffering the consequences if you keep working on yourself.
