Dopamine and Convenience – The Rise Of Gaming and Gambling Industries

We are witnessing constant growth in the competitive gaming industry. This trend also influences smaller niches like gambling, game development, game software, and so on. There is a whole phenomenon going on, and it is clear as daylight that gaming and gambling have some effects on human psychology.

We make this statement because there is a difference between the gaming industry and any other sport, activity, or industry. We see successful and competitive sports players every day. But not everyone dreams of becoming a professional cricket player, a professional golf player, or the best swimmer in the world.

What is weird is that a study from whatsthebigdata states that there are 3.2 billion gamers worldwide. At the same time, 4.2 billion people gamble at least once a year, both in real money casinos and demo/free online sites like SlotsCalendar. So, what is the explanation for this high level of popularity? Why are so many people gamers, and why are so many humans attracted to gambling?

The Answer is Convenience + Rewards + Dopamine

The secret recipe has three distinct ingredients. Both gaming and gambling are viewed as forms of relaxation, entertainment, and leisure. But at the same time, both will trigger your dopamine production, take you through a rollercoaster of feelings, and leave you exhausted after a long session, similar to any other sport.

The difference between any other sport is that in standard gaming or gambling sessions, you will receive exponentially more rewards. Think about a Counter-Strike tournament where every elimination comes with dopamine while round wins also trigger your brain.

Gambling is the same, where slot machines will reward you with small prizes almost every round. The catch here is that a round doesn’t need more than 2 seconds to end. So, you will get a dopamine boost every two seconds. In a normal soccer match, you get that dopamine rush one or two times per hour if you are lucky.

What Impact Gambling and Gaming Have on Human Behavior

Considering the reward system and the effects that dopamine has, the highest probability is that one would develop a gaming or gambling addiction. This is the cause why we have so many gamers and gamblers compared to any other sport or leisure activity.

• Impact on Emotions – Both gaming and gambling may influence your feelings. You may feel happy, excited, angry, or depressed.

This rapid switching cycle is what triggers your addiction. From a responsible point of view, experts recommend you eliminate real money betting from your routine and switch to virtual coins platforms.

The same goes for a League of Legends match, where you receive a dopamine dose regularly for every elimination, objective, or turret destroyed. Be honest with yourself and think about that feeling of emptiness you have when the match ends, even if you are victorious. That feeling will make you press “Find Match” again.

• Impact on Cognitive Skills – This is more related to the gamer mental health since thousands of hours of intense gaming can lead to improvements in problem-solving abilities, attention, or memory.

There are a lot of games out there that push your brain with puzzles and strategy and punish you for making mistakes. If you wish to keep playing the game, you have to become a better version of yourself and start thinking more critically.

This is where the pro aspiration comes into play.

• Impact on Society – Becoming better makes you feel good about yourself, but what happens when another human joins your session and is crushing it on a whole other level? It creates a competitive environment which people can use to build up pro leagues and competitions.

Competitions

The results are the high-stakes competitions for gamers and the huge profits that are made yearly by gambling stakeholders.

Luckily for gamblers, there is a new trend of social casinos that eliminates this risky environment while still offering quality time in the casino. For example, a social casino tournament will require you to deposit no money but will reward you for your efforts.

By promoting certain games, providers, or gambling platforms, social tournaments bring joy to players and impressions to industry gaming actors in a more responsible way.

On the other hand, the gamers do the same thing. The difference here is the risk is time loss. You have to invest thousands of hours if you want to have the slightest chance of becoming a pro gamer, and those hours can also be translated into hours.

But as soon as you are in the tier 1 zone, you will earn your cash thanks to competitions, promotions, and performance.

Psychology and Convenience Attracts Gamers and Gamblers

If you are a teenager, it is more likely to be attracted to gaming since it can easily be free, and the socially competitive context of it may encourage you to become addicted to it. If you are a grown-up with access to money, it is also likely to indulge in casino activities, which may also lead to addiction because of the financial rewards and high dopamine levels.

It Makes You Happy, And It is Only a Click Away

Becoming a gamer and gambler is easy nowadays, which explains why so many people are involved in these types of activities.