The Psychology of Gambling: Understanding Why People Gamble and How to Gamble Responsibly

In simple terms, gambling is staking a certain amount on a certain event, and in most cases, it happens to be a sporting event. These events are like football and wrestling events. What happens is a person stakes money with the hope of the event turning out in their favour. If it does then the gambler gains a specified amount and if the turnout is different then they lose the amount they have staked.

The rate of gambling has increased recently with the profits acquired by gambling providers also increasing overtime. It is evident that all these people have a reason as to why they gamble. Let us look at the reasons why some people gamble

Why Do People Gamble?

The Psychology of Gambling: Understanding Why People Gamble and How to Gamble Responsibly

According to social surveys, there are several reasons why people gamble and this is attributed to age, gender, location, social class, and many other factors.

Here are some of the reasons why:

  1. As a solution to financial challenges – When you are faced with several financial difficulties, you will tend to try tackling them by turning to the fastest way to earn cash. Gambling is one of the best ways to earn fast cash. The basic principle is you stake a small amount with the hopes of getting an even larger payout. If you are considering this as an option for your solution to your troubles, you should know that in gambling you are bound to lose more than you will ever win. This is not always the case because once in a while a big payout is awarded to some users.
  2. As a social activity – When hanging out with your peers, gambling may emerge as one of the ways you keep yourselves entertained. Gambling happens to be a very interactive game at social gatherings.It can be hosting a poker night , going on a game and staking on your team, or even a party. The adrenaline makes the gambling experience fun. This explains why people are willing to stake their money to have a fun time. Here it is just a leisure activity
  3. Boredom – For some people gambling is just a way to get rid of loneliness and/or boredom. An example of how this reason is justified is during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were locked down. A massive number of people turned to online gambling as a way to pass time and possibly drown the loneliness.
  4. For thrills that come from risk – There is a certain appeal that comes with taking risks. It is human nature to want to take risk and put yourself in a situation where you have no control and wait for events to just turn out. It can also be used to counter difficult emotions. Gambling can actually be compared to an alcohol addiction where when you are overwhelmed you feel the need to drink.

How to Gamble Responsibly

As much as gambling is a fun activity, you should know that it is addictive. Due to its addictive feature, you should have some regulations on how much of your time you spend gambling and also the amount of money that you use in gambling.

Here are some of the ways you can use to regulate your gambling experience:

  1. Think of betting as a leisure activity and not a way to earn cash. This way, you will regulate the amount of time that you spend on betting sites because you actually have to make time and work.
  2. Only gamble when your wallet can cater for it. This means that you should only gamble when you can afford it. When you have the cash to spare, gambling just substitutes for the other activities you would have partaken like going to a restaurant.
  3. Avoid gambling when you are not in the right headspace. This means that when you are upset or feeling a bit depressed you should attend to your feelings first.
  4. Set a time limit. Have a designated time when you can gamble and how long you will spend betting. This practice will make your gambling experience a bit healthier
  5. Do not gamble when you are under the influence. You should not be under influence of liquor or drugs when gambling because, at this point, your judgment is greatly altered.

Conclusion

As much as the activity is for leisure or any other reasons the gamblers might have, they should know its is addictive and they should adopt healthy practices.

 

Dibyashree Sharma
Dibyashree Sharma
Dibyashree Sharma graduated in Computer Science from NIT Rourkela. For the past eight years, she has been blogging about Android, which she is really passionate about. She has built a good reputation as a reliable source. Away from the digital sphere, Dibyashree enjoys playing tennis, a sport she is as passionate about as she is about technology.

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