Why are People Addicted to Gambling - Biologically

Many people have at least experienced the thrill of losing or winning a bet. Whether it was the exhilarating high of winning a bet with a friend or the disappointment from a loss, you can’t help but feel tempted to try again. This is the same phenomenon that occurs in casinos, games, and sports betting. People often tell themselves, “One more time, I’ll win the next one,” prompting them to make another bet, and then another. So, really, why are people addicted to gambling? We’ll explore two main points: how dopamine release affects us and why some people, such as those affected by Parkinson’s disease, are more prone to gambling than others.

Biologically, dopamine is released when you do something enjoyable or exciting, creating a feeling of happiness. When people gamble and they win, this triggers their brain’s reward system and releases dopamine between brain cells, causing that euphoric feeling. Naturally, people would want more of this feeling, craving the sensation dopamine elicits.  As people are repeatedly exposed to gambling, they crave more and more of this feeling, leading to gambling addiction and damaging their brain’s reward system. 

In a discussion with Dr. Fong, he noted that “when people struggle with gambling disorders, chances are they are going to have related health problems stemming from stress, lack of sleep, and even heart problems” (UCLA Health 2021). From this, we can understand that in addition to how repeated exposure to dopamine can disrupt your brain’s reward system and cause addiction to gambling, certain health traits (high stress, low sleep, and heart problems) may make people more susceptible. For example, people who gamble often engage in activities such as smoking or drinking, which further damages their heart health. Secondly, gambling provides a dopamine boost. This detail leads us into our next point about health conditions.

Firstly, Parkinson’s disease is a condition that worsens over time, which is most commonly found in older people. Parkinson’s disease, by definition, is a “neurodegenerative condition, specifically the loss of dopaminergic neurons that are inside our brains” (Rhesus Medicine). The meaning of neurodegenerative is that it is an irreversible loss, and this disease causes you to lose dopamine-producing neurons. This disease makes people with Parkinson’s more at risk of being addicted to gambling because of the prescribed Parkinson’s medications. One of the prescribed medications for Parkinson’s is a dopamine agonist. Now the dopamine agonists’ job is similar to what dopamine does to your brain, and this works because your cells aren’t able to tell the difference between dopamine and dopamine agonists. Regardless, dopamine agonists are not dopamine, which leads patients who are using the dopamine agonists to develop side effects, such as impulse control disorders (ICD). The ICD-10 code includes pyromania, kleptomania, pathological gambling, and more. Because of the connection between the medication and pathological gambling, we can see how people with Parkinson’s are more vulnerable to being addicted to gambling.

Essentially, gambling is something that can happen to anyone and everyone. Gambling is a process that allows you to release dopamine, a kind of reaction that occurs inside your brain that causes you to feel positive emotions. Because of this, people are drawn to this feeling and seek out more and more, causing a gambling addiction. In addition, people who are more vulnerable to a gambling addiction often have health conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Beyond biological factors, psychological and social influences also contribute to gambling addiction. Ultimately, the most important key is to keep yourself accountable.

Works Cited

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2. Champion C. Gambling addiction can cause psychological, physiological health challenges. www.uclahealth.org. Published December 28, 2021. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/gambling-addiction-can-cause-psychological-physiological-health-challenges 

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4. Heiden P, Heinz A, Romanczuk‐Seiferth N. Pathological gambling in Parkinson’s disease: what are the risk factors and what is the role of impulsivity? The European Journal of Neuroscience. 2017;45(1):67-72. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.13396 

5. Steele K. Gambling and Heart Health: Understanding the Connection - Norden Lasik. Norden Lasik. Published March 14, 2023. Accessed August 24, 2025. https://www.nordenlasik.com/gambling-and-heart-health/ 

6. Rhesus Medicine. (2022, October 31). Understanding Parkinson’s Disease (Including Direct and Indirect Pathways). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pZmMU2xLM8 

Parkinson’s Drugs May Lead to Compulsive Gambling, Shopping, and. (2014, October 20). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/parkinsons-drugs-may-lead-to-compulsive-gambling-102014 

7. Cleveland Clinic. (2023, September 5). Dopamine agonists: How they affect your brain. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24958-dopamine-agonists 

8. Upham, B. (2024, October 31). When Parkinson’s Treatments Lead to Gambling, Shopping, or Hypersexuality. EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/parkinsons-disease/when-parkinsons-treatments-lead-to-gambling-shopping-or-hypersexuality/