Problem gambling is a mysterious addiction that researchers around the world are still trying to decipher. Recently, researchers from Berlin’s European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress have made a ground-breaking discovery about the way a problem gambler’s mind works. As a complex addiction, problem gambling has been difficult to define.

Previously, it was classified as an impulse control disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. More recently, it has been classified as an addictive disorder, due to researchers discovering that problem gambling is more similar to substance-related addictions. The Berlin research team conducted Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans on 14 male problem gamblers and 15 people who do not gamble.

Their goal was to measure their opioid receptors – the part of the brain that reacts to endorphins. While people with substance addictions like alcoholism have more opioid receptors, problem gamblers do not. The researchers found that their levels were the same as the non-gambling volunteers. The next part of the study saw all participants take an amphetamine capsule that releases a rush of endorphins.

Problem gamblers released fewer endorphins than the non-gambling volunteers and reported lower levels of euphoria. These findings suggest that problem gamblers need to work harder in order to gain pleasure from gambling. A small win isn’t enough to make them feel euphoric, so they continue to play compulsively.

It is quite a big breakthrough in understanding gambling addiction, and may lead to the development of new treatment methods. “These findings suggest the involvement of the opioid system in pathological gambling and that it may differ from addiction to substances such as alcohol,” says lead researcher Dr. Inge Mick.

“We hope that in the long run this can help us to develop new approaches to treat pathological gambling.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.