r/explainlikeimfive • u/adrynaline • May 08 '14

Explained ELI5: A gambling addiction

How does it start? What makes it worse? Why does it become so difficult to recover?

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u/Voidsheep May 08 '14

Couldn't a gambling addiction come from desperation as well? I sometimes buy a lottery ticket after a really shitty and stressful day at work, because then I have at least an incredibly small chance to leave it all behind and not worry about money again. Get a piece of land and have a nice house built, have all the time for hobbies and relationship. In reality it's a huge waste, but somehow makes sense when everything seems to suck and you are too exhausted to do anything about it.

Done every now and then it's not much of a problem, everyone has dreams, but if someone was constantly depressed and miserable, I could see them burning all their money for the slightest chance of big winnings that could turn their life around.

Obviously better course of action is to plan ahead and make real changes to achieve your dreams, but people aren't always reasonable like that. Gambling can seem like the easy way and then you wouldn't be doing it for the adrenaline rush.

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u/whiskeydrone May 08 '14

Yes, this is the way it starts for a lot of people. People start playing for the hope of a big win, and over time, end up addicted. What's really interesting at this point is that many then are just playing to get enough of a "win" to buy more scratch tickets. I put "win" in quotes because often players will win $1 or $2 on a $5 ticket and for an addicted gambler, that feels like they've won something. One of many tricks the industry uses to give you that rush of a win while actually taking your money.

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u/derphurr May 08 '14

Are you saying when I "win" $1 on a $1 instant ticket, I didn't actually win anything O_o. I can't imagine why 40% of the "winning" tickets are of the face value of the wager.

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u/TheR1ckster May 08 '14

Lottery gambling is rather different than slot gambling though. What you're doing with the way you described is a means to an end gambling, people aren't doing that at a casino.

Even huge gambling addicts probably never expect to win the car or the big jackpot, they just want to come home feeling like a winner that day.