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Intermittent Reinforcement & How It Affects Problem Gamblers

Your brain’s reward system involves a complex and mysterious series of chemical and physical interactions and reactions, resulting in the release of “feel-good” chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. If you’re familiar with how gambling affects the brain, you might already know that the occasional win encourages gamblers to keep playing, especially if they feel like the next big jackpot is just a few spins, taps, clicks, or bets away. 

However, what you may not know is that many common casino games and online gambling sites are actively utilizing this reward system against you by relying on a method called intermittent reinforcement (sometimes abbreviated as IR). Here’s what you need to know about this psychological phenomenon, and how it can turn gambling from an occasional hobby into a self-destructive habit.

The Psychology of Reinforcement

To best imagine the concept of “intermittent reinforcement,” it’s important to understand the alternative: continuous reinforcement. Picture a rat who receives a treat every time it pushes a button. After learning what the button does, the rat eventually relaxes and presses it only when needed, knowing that it can always rely on performing this simple action (the reinforced behavior) to receive a tasty snack. 

Continuous reinforcement schedules help build an association between an action and a reward, but there’s actually a much faster way to get the rat hooked on pushing the button: setting up the system so that the button only drops a treat some of the time, seemingly randomly with no fixed ratio. Rats in these conditions end up frantically slapping the button, performing the reinforced behavior over and over to trigger the conditions to receive the reward. This is an example of intermittent reinforcement, which has consistently proven to be startlingly effective at affecting behavioral patterns.

Intermittent Reinforcement & Problem Gambling

While humans are more complex than rats, our brains aren’t so different that IR doesn’t work on us. Many casino games and gambling apps, notably games of chance like slot machines, blackjack, and craps, rely on IR-based patterns to hook you in. If you lose five games but then win three in a row, your brain wants to continue chasing the “high” of the reward. 

Many of these machines and games have human brains down to a science, too — providing you with just enough irregular reinforcement to keep you sitting at the table or spinning the wheel but not enough so that you can actually turn a profit or recover your already-lost funds. This is also called a variable ratio schedule, and it’s the same way mobile games hook young adults into microtransactions, blind bags (see also: what are blind bags?), and more.

Recognizing the Pattern & Breaking Free

One of the most effective ways to break out of the IR trap is to learn about and recognize it. The myth of “hot” or “cold” slot machines can be busted with a little understanding of IR, as can many traps involved with the sunk-cost fallacy. Casinos and apps want to keep you gambling at all costs, and they will use every psychological trick in the book against you, so consider your knowledge of IR as a key tool in your recovery toolbox.

Along with learning about the many ways casinos and gambling apps use your brain against you, it can also be helpful to learn about self-exclusion and website blocking (see also: how do I ban myself from casinos?) so you can physically remove yourself from temptation. Seeking support from groups like Gamblers Anonymous or visiting a therapist or other mental health professional can also help you resist the urge to continue gambling.

Get Help Today!

Gambling can be a fun occasional pastime, but many games use your own psychology against you to try and draw you back in until it’s difficult to stop. If you or someone you love is struggling with a gambling problem, reach out to 800-GAMBLER today. Our toll-free, confidential helpline is open 24/7, and we’re here to connect you to recovery resources. Call us today and take back control of your future!

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