The Psychology of Gambling

We know that you are not naive to the point of thinking that the act of playing casino games of chance for money is purely a matter of chance. Granted, at the end of the day, chance is the most important factor when winning large sums of money. The most intelligent and astute first class players always make rational decisions and yet in the long run still lose to Lady Luck.

But luck is not the only factor that comes into play. There are also a number of psychological factors at work. So what is the definition of the psychology of online games of chance? It is first of all important to identify two separate categories: Science of Psychology and Applied Psychology.

Science and Sociology: dualistic traditions

With regards to the psychological significance of games of chance and money, for a human being, there are two general diverging views. Either the game of chance is considered bad and gambling regarded as negative, in which case it is therefore considered as deviant behaviour, either the game of chance and gambling is considered as being an extension of natural human behaviour. A majority of people regard gambling and money games in a negative light. They generally conceive it as an illegal activity.

These people tend to have a more conventional world view, that does not incorporate the element of risk. These are people who will rather place their money in the bank rather than take a chance with a higher risk investment, including the stock exchange which considered objectively, is also a glorified game of chance, involving gambling money. These people are not instinctive, and tend to regard gambling as a form of pathological behaviour that cannot be controlled. They may even have feelings of pity for gamblers, and consider them simply as being ill.

Those who consider the act of gambling as a natural extension of our way of life, tend to see it as a rational and instinctive process rather than a form of illness or deviant behaviour. They regard gambling as a healthy recreational activity. As simple entertainment if you will. This does not mean that these players seek to lose or may not become dependent, only they consider online gambling as a natural way of life.

There are no good or bad answers, and no two trends should be judged. It fundamentally comes down to the way we, as individuals, choose to lead our lives.

Practice the Art of self-control

When you play there is no room for losing your self-control or becoming emotional. Losing control of one’s emotions results in a player no longer being in the correct mindset in which it is necessary to be to ensure intelligent and rational play. A successful player must have an acute awareness of time and know equally when to play and at what moment to leave the table. An intelligent player will never go as far as to lose everything.

Evidently, it is very difficult to control one’s emotions when you are in the midst of the rollercoaster: there are too many ups and downs, too many red flags not to become emotional. Becoming emotional is a natural human reaction. The secret is to not let these emotions stay with you; do not take them with you into the following hand.

Rather, find a way to release stress, anxiety, hatred or anger while staying focused on the present moment. Feel free to express and vent your emotions retrospectively, once you are no longer at the table.


Want to read more information for newbies: New to online gambling