Psychology
As online gambling became mainstream, the social element of gambling has become increasingly prevalent.
Gambling has always had some social effects, dating back to ancient games.
With the rise of social media and gambling marketing, this social pressure has increased exponentially.
Social media influencers on TikTok, Twitter or Instagram may also play a part in pressuring people to gamble.
The elderly, youth and certain demographics are considered morevulnerable to gambling addiction.
But your gaming doesn’t need to end in a slump of losses and frustration.
It could also be a fear or missing out on the action.
All your friends are signed up to a sports betting site, and last weekend they all won.
There are numerous arguments for restricting, or even outright banning, casino and sports betting marketing.
Namely, it can target specific demographics and attempt tonormalize gamblingin certain groups of people.
They may also not convey the dangers or harms of gambling in their message.
However, gambling is not the only industry that comes under heavy fire on the subject of marketing.
But rather to inform them of the dangers, and verify they understand them before spending any money.
Wins will feel bigger and more important, giving you bragging rights among your peers.
Losses, on the other hand, are dismissed or belittled.
These areconsequences of the group dynamic.
Groups tend to applaud wins and not really focus on the losses.
Playing solo does not have the same pressures or priorities.
For example, ahedge bettorwill take a 1-3% profit on their stake, and patiently build their bankroll.
This doesn’t work when we add in peer pressure, as players feel compelled topush for dramatic wins.
In groups, players may go bust quicker when betting so aggressively.
This is thesunk cost fallacywhen gamers feel like they cannot stop playing.
You may feel like your sports betting friend who won big will do it again next weekend.
When combining the selections on your betslip, the numbers look a little like this.
They may all be favorites to win, but the chances that ALL of them will win are small.
Now, we have to look at how thatpressure can lead to gambling addiction.
Gambling peer pressure commonly starts in the teenage years.
Before that, most people are exposed to gambling through their parents or extended family.
In those teenage years, the desire to play is fuelled by social media exposure and advertising.
During their formative 20s, young adults may be enticed by the promise of quick money.
People who already have addictions are in that higher risk bracket.
Whether it is smoking, drinking, or even activities such as sports, shopping or traveling.
The UKGC surveyed thegambling journeys of young peopleand found curious results on group gambling.
They found that over 50% of the gambling done by youths is with peers.
58% of non-problem gamblers played with their friends.
A number that jumped up to 74% and 77% among the moderate-risk andproblem gamblers.
It is something that anyone can participate in, helping others understand the risks and dangers of excessive gambling.
How to Gamble Responsibly
The first step togambling safelyis to take full control of your finances.
This ensures you never make any reckless decisions or put too much money into your account.
Also, you should make a reality check, to stay informed on how long you have been playing.
This is key to staying focused, as it is easy tozone outand lose track of time.
And not chase any prior losses or play to the point you go bust.
Alternatively, contact any of the gambling harm prevention services we have listed above.
Daniel has been writing about casinos and sports betting since 2021.
