Gambling involves risking something of value, usually money, on a random event with the intent of winning. It can be a form of entertainment, a serious addiction, or both.
When someone gambles, the brain releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with reward and pleasure. This can make people feel excited when they win and also sad or angry when they lose. In fact, many gambling problems are rooted in mood disorders like depression or stress. In these cases, the first step is often to seek treatment for the underlying condition.
Typically, there are three elements to gambling: consideration, risk, and a prize. The term “prize” can be a cash amount, a promise of future contingent events not under the player’s control, or anything else of value. Examples of gambling include wagering on sports games, casino games, and lottery.
Understanding the nature of gambling addiction is an ongoing challenge. The way we view a person’s problem with gambling has changed dramatically over time, as have the laws on this issue in many countries.
There is considerable consensus that gambling involves impulsiveness, although research has not always focused on the interaction between impulse-control and other dimensions of motivation. For example, Zuckerman suggests that sensation- and novelty-seeking may be related to a person’s tendency to engage in gambling behavior. Cloninger’s theory of addictive drinking is also relevant, since it suggests that people who enjoy alcoholic beverages do so in part to experience varied sensations.
