People are wired to like winning, pleasure, and rewards. These specific possibilities are delivered to your smartphone by sports betting applications for instant satisfaction. It is important to understand the psychology of how sports betting apps are so addictive.
In the heat of the moment, gambling is very enjoyable.
Many hypotheses from the fields of neurology and psychology can explain why some people may be more predisposed to enjoying gambling than others.
According to a well-known learning theory, people are controlled by two fundamental brain systems. One encourages search for novel and stimulating situations. They are encouraged to exercise caution, recognize risks, and protect themselves through a supplementary system.
These systems function somewhat like the gas and brake on an automobile. Everyone has both pedals, but each person has a different level of sensitivity to the brake or desire for more gas.
Consider how some people completely avoid using airplanes. Whereas some others will willingly jump out of planes as skydivers. Opportunities for placing bets on sports can be like that plane. Some may be hesitant to download an app due to their unique combination of curiosity and caution; whilst another can’t wait to give it a try.
This balancing act of risk and reward is known to involve a number of genes, brain areas, and neurotransmitters, including dopamine. This balancing act of risk and reward is known to involve a number of genes, brain areas, and neurotransmitters, including dopamine. Those who are more motivated to engage in higher-risk activities may have slightly altered brain activity in the reward-related regions.
Frequent gamblers respond similarly to when they are exposed to cues for real rewards like food or sex. These results are consistent with previous research on how people’s brains respond to stimuli for alcohol, cocaine, and cigarettes.
Gambling applications increase interest
Beyond the gratifying aspect of gambling itself, there may be some intrinsic features of sports betting apps that make them particularly appealing. This, in turn, may increase risk for some people.
For instance, someone who enjoys basketball a lot might be confident in his ability to predict how his team will play. He can become more eager to watch a game he already appreciates after placing a wager on it. Every time one of his favorite teams plays, he will automatically place another wager. There is a natural desire to devote more time to pursuits you enjoy and are skilled at. When study participants were told they could choose to watch a sporting event only or place a bet as well, the brain responded differently; especially in reward-related regions.
Activities with low entrance barriers and easy access are also more likely to be engaged in by people. You’re more likely to consume a cupcake that is sitting on the counter than one that requires a trip to the store.
In a similar vein, being close to gaming establishments is a known risk factor for engaging in problem gambling. Applications for sports betting practically download a casino to the phone in your pocket. The risk of potential harm is probably increased by the simplicity of access as well as the novelty and excitement.
Moreover, betting apps have been greatly gamified. This makes them seem more participatory than stuffy banking apps for example. Leaderboards, push notifications, free play and other features can boost enjoyment and engagement. Yet, these capabilities may also make users feel farther removed from the actual money they are spending. It makes it more difficult for them to stop using the app should they start to worry about how much money or time they are wasting there.
Building up your defenses
The majority of gamblers and sports bettors have no negative consequences. It’s possible they might incur some financial loss. But overall the excitement and the possibility of winning is within their means. There is an added degree of entertainment when viewing content in a theater. In this way sports betting is like spending money on movie tickets.
Setting spending or loss caps is a good approach to have when gambling. Many apps have options for safe gaming that let users establish restrictions on their wagering, losses, and deposits. Blocking software is an alternative for those who are seriously concerned about their gaming.
More techniques and resources are available on the responsibleplay.org website of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Sports betting organizations are in the business of making money, regardless of whether a user can correctly predict a winning team. The apps are really good at identifying the motivators that make gambling lucrative and fun. A enjoyable and low-risk level of investment is what players should aim for. No need to strive to be an app’s top user.