Roulette, lottery, slot machines – gambling can be just as addicting as cocaine.

In the hunt for the jackpot, many fall by the wayside -financially, socially, and emotionally.

The colorful box flashes and rings, the reels spin hypnotically – wheels of fortune that decide on profit or loss, elation or disappointment. In the dim light of the gaming room, people stare spellbound at the viewing window of the slot machine. Most of them buy a coin for just a brief moment of suspense. For some, however, the game turns into a nightmare. Gambling is one of the most costly addictions and highly addictive that one can fall into.

Intoxicating effects of gambling

Gamblers doomed their hormones. Even a “near” win activates the reward system in the brain, it pours out more dopamine first, then endorphins. The messenger substances make you happy – and encourage the desire for “more”.

The disastrous advantage for gambling addicts – they can literally get their “stuff” in every corner bar with a slot machine, completely legally. Other ways to slip into gambling addiction are the lottery, state casinos or online gambling such as judi kartu online. Here the addict will find, for example, the popular online poker.

Men are more probable to yield to the charm

Whether someone has an increased propensity for gambling addiction depends on an interplay between personality and environment. Men, for example, are more often affected than women. Anyone who suffers from depression or anxiety disorder also slips into addiction more quickly. Neurobiological and genetic factors play a role. And last but not least, the origin: Young men with a migration background, for example, seem to be particularly at risk, according to a study.

Gradually into the dependency

The course of gambling addiction is always similar. First, a quick win fixes the soldier of fortune. The cash blessing from the machine suddenly appears as a real opportunity to get money. So the player continues to try his luck – and inevitably begins to lose. But instead of stopping now, he follows the internal pressure to at least recoup the lost money.