Gambling and addiction are two things that are closely related in the minds of many people. Most people believe that games (not just gambling) cause a strong addiction that is very difficult to overcome in the future. Why is this opinion formed and is it true? Are games, both gambling and conventional games, really so addictive to people? Let’s try to get to the bottom of this issue. And yes, we will consider options to combat addiction, if any person has one.
Gambling and video games: common features and differences
Before we start comparing the two types of addiction and look for the root cause of their emergence, we need to understand what online casinos and the world of video games have in common.
Gambling is the name given to all variations of different gambling games and activities. The category of gambling includes: online casinos and $5 deposit casino, slot machines, roulette, slots, card games, sports betting and predictions for cybersport tournaments. Players who play and take part in various gambling activities are called gamblers.
Video gaming is a category of digital games that includes a huge number of different genres, categories and sub-genres: sports simulators, racing, shooters, cooperative games, “battle royale” games, MOBAs and others.
If in the sphere of gambling all games and entertainments that are present there are of gambling character, but in the sphere of video games not always so. There are single player games where players play against the computer (or with it), and there are multiplayer games that allow players to fight with each other for the right to win. This last category of games just may cause a certain addiction in people.
It is worth saying right away that not all games are addictive. This has its own reasons and indications, which we will discuss later. This also applies to gambling, but for now we will take a look at the computer games that are most likely to make players spend 24 hours a day in front of the monitor:
- Dota2;
- CS:GO;
- Valorant;
- LOL;
- PUBG;
- WOT;
- War Thunder;;
- World of Warcraft;
And this is just part of the list, because many players play and not so popular computer projects.
Let’s move on to the general features of gambling video games. Despite the fact that the genres are very different from each other, they have one important indicator – success and winning. It is the desire to get the grand prize, to become the most successful and powerful player encourages users to spend the day in front of the screens of monitors. In the realm of gambling, the big prize is the jackpot and the big winnings. What about video games? Here it is a little more complicated, because the world of gaming is much more complex structure.
Initially, the games were designed to allow players to distract, relax, immerse themselves in a fantastic atmosphere, but as they developed and formed and sports, namely cybersports, component. And the games have reached a new level. Most cooperative games are cybersports disciplines. Cybersport has become one of the most promising development options for the gamer. Why? To answer this question, you need to understand the structure of the video game system.
- There is a game, such as Dota It is built around the confrontation of two teams. The game takes place in 5 x 5 mode on a single game map. The goal of the players is to outplay the opposing team and destroy the enemy base.
- Victory brings not only moral satisfaction to the players, but also rating points. The higher a player’s rating, the stronger he is. The rating serves as direct proof of your strength and skill level.
- The higher a player’s rating, the higher he is in the general tables.
- It is every player’s dream to get into the top 100 players in their region and be rated as a Titan. Why? This is an opportunity to get into a professional team.
- If a player is at the top of the leaderboard, the chance that he will be playing with professional players from his home team increases manifold, which means that he might get noticed and be called into the team.
- Getting on a professional team not only gives you the feeling of achieving your goal, but also a very good salary of several thousand dollars.
This is what drives players to spend 24 hours a day in front of a monitor. But the bottom line is that many don’t realize that just playing is not enough, you have to do it wisely, analyze every action and match, try and give it your all. And the majority of players give up early and remain at low levels of skill and rating. And gets into a certain vicious circle, where it remains for many years. That’s how an addiction to computer games develops. With gambling the situation is a little different.
Addiction to gambling
There are three groups of players who become addicted to cheating.
The first group. “Normal” players. These players are not distinguished by any disorders of the psychological spectrum. This group includes people who have the wrong psychological judgment, “lost” or choose the wrong strategy for the game.
Second group. A group of vulnerable people, emotionally vulnerable people. Their desire to gamble is caused by the fact that they want to satisfy a certain range of their emotional or psychological needs. They may have a clear example of relatives who had gambling problems, self-actualization problems, or just negative life events that led them to find the fulfillment of their potential in gambling.
The third group. Impulsive gamblers by nature. Their impulsivity is inherent biologically, as well as the attention deficit. Such players have not only a problem with gambling, but also a number of other disorders that interfere in their daily life.
As you can see, the situation with gamblers in video games and online casinos sits differently. Yes, there is a category of gamers who have a predisposition to addiction, but the root cause of this unhealthy attachment is different and very different. Gamblers who are addicted to gambling have a number of other root causes to it than the classic gamer who wants to realize and become a professional player, to realize himself. Therefore, it is safe to say that gambling is not as addictive as video games.
These types of addiction, although similar, have common features, but are different. And dealing with these types of addiction is different, too. What to do with people who are addicted to computer games and casinos?
For gamers, there are a number of activities, from working with psychologists and therapists, to trying to self-control and blocking access to games. For gamblers, there is a separate solution.
Casinos with a Gamstop option
As casinos begin to operate legally and in many countries are legally regulated, the vulnerable part of the gamblers decided to control. But this control system is very flexible and focuses not only on outside interference, but also on the self-consciousness of the players.
Gamestop option in $10 deposit casino and other legal resources allows the player to self-exclude from the sphere of games. How it works:
- A user who begins to realize that he has a problem with gambling of any kind, from uncontrolled gambling 24/7 to spending his money excessively, can apply for self-exclusion;
- He sends a request for his profile to be blocked, and his accounts are simply not allowed to play in legal casinos;
- The player chooses a certain period of time for blocking: from half a year or more, and the system blocks it.
Everything, from that moment the user simply will not be able to register on the new sites, or enter the old accounts. Yes, all information, funds and other parameters in the system are saved, so after he manages the problem, he will be able to come in and withdraw his money or continue playing.
The exclusion option can also be extended. Also, relatives of players can apply for this feature to be enabled to save their loved one. But, with the legalization of online gambling services and more options for sites, this problem is becoming less of an issue, while addiction to computer games is only growing.
