The Psychology of Gambling: Understanding Player Behaviour
Online casinos are becoming more and more popular in Australia every year. This is due to various reasons that encourage users to register at the gaming sites, fund an account and start betting. It is possible to understand the reasons for the popularity of casinos by studying the psychology of players.
What Motivates Users to Play at Casinos
The main reason for using the services of gambling sites is excitement. Gamblers play slots primarily for the chance to win real money. The desire to win a sum of money can be very strong, so the player needs to make sure that it does not turn into a problem.
Some gamblers love gambling for the sense of excitement they are able to give. During the spins in slots, the user’s adrenaline is released, which brings a thrill. This feeling is liked by many players.
There are also users who play slots just for fun. Such gamblers usually favour the demo mode, where bets are made with virtual currency. Users can enjoy beautiful graphics, interesting storyline.
Social Interaction Between Gamblers
The social aspect of gambling must also be considered. Gamblers can compete with each other by taking part in tournament events. You can track your progress in the leaderboard. In addition, you can talk to other participants of competitions, share your own achievements with players.
Many casinos provide for gamification. On such sites, the progress and achievements of the user are visible to all other players. This encourages gamblers to bet more actively – you always want to be better than others.
Social interaction between players is provided by various forums, communities in social networks. Communicating on such platforms, it will be possible to tell gamblers about their own strategies, learn new tactics from experienced users. In addition, communication with other players on the basis of common interest is interesting in itself. You can make new friends, transfer communication from the Internet to real life.
What Differs in the Behaviour of Different Gamblers
It is wrong to assume that all players behave the same way in a casino. There are factors that can be assessed to find differences in gamblers’ behaviour. One of them is the length and frequency of gaming sessions. There are users who play:
- Often and for long periods of time;
- Often, but not enough;
- Rarely and for long periods of time;
- Rare and few.
Players of the first type are more prone to developing gambling addiction than others, as they are highly addicted to gambling. The second type of behaviour is characteristic of high rollers who bet large sums and either get a big win or stop the session after losing. The third type of gamblers are experienced players who know how to manage their bankroll, use different strategies. In the fourth case, we are talking about amateurs, for whom gambling is not a serious hobby. There are other factors that distinguish the behaviour of one gambler from another.
Game Preferences
Gamblers have certain preferences for different types of gambling. For example, slots are preferred by the riskiest players, who are willing to fully transfer the result of the bet to the RNG. Roulette is preferred by gamblers who know how to manage the available bank. In this case, the number of sectors closed by a bet in roulette depends on the type of user behaviour. For example, if a gambler bets on one cell, he can be classified as a high roller. Closing 35 sectors allows you to talk about the cautiousness of the player.
Separately, we can mention poker. It is preferred by experienced players who appreciate the opportunity to influence the outcome of the game. In a poker game, the outcome depends not only on what cards the poker players got. It also depends on how well the gambler is able to calculate the probabilities of the remaining cards in the deck.
Betting Strategies
Determine the behaviour of the gambler can be determined by the system of betting, which he applies. For example, the user may bet small amounts, thereby seeking to minimise risks, to prolong the gaming session. High rollers prefer to make large bets to win a large sum.
The most experienced players use bankroll management strategies. These tactics can involve making both small and large bets in a single gambling session. For example, the Martingale method is popular in Australia. This strategy requires starting with a small bet on equal odds in roulette. However, with each loss, the user must double the amount bet. By applying the Martingale method, it is possible to reach large bets, winning any of which will bring a large payout.
What is Meant by Risky Behaviour of a Player
Risky behaviour is characteristic of almost everyone who plays for real money. This is due to the very essence of gambling – to get a chance to win, you need to risk a certain amount of money. On the one hand, the gambler is afraid of losing money. However, the desire to win a large sum can be stronger than this fear.
There are some players who are more prone to making losses than others. Gamblers who are prone to risky behaviour often make large bets to win big prizes. It is not uncommon for such players to play high volatility machines. Also, high rollers often make spins in progressive slots that can give accumulative prizes.
There is nothing wrong with risky behaviour as long as it does not start to cause problems. If a user notices that gambling has led to a deterioration in their quality of life, they should take action. Otherwise, the user may develop gambling addiction, a dangerous mental illness.
Why Gambling Can Cause Problems
When a gambler bets real money, he does so hoping to win a certain amount. Here it is important to keep control over yourself. If the user stops controlling the bets he makes, he will suffer serious financial losses, worsen his mental state and experience stress.
The results of spins in slots should not affect the gambler’s control over himself. For example, the user decided that he will end the gaming session as soon as he wins 100 AUD. Spin in the machine brought the gambler 110 AUD. After that, you should immediately stop the game, discarding the desire to continue the session and repeat the success.
The same is true for losses. When a user loses, he wants to win back what he lost. However, losing spins can go until the bankroll is completely exhausted. When a series of unsuccessful spins, it is better to pause, distract yourself with some other activity.
It is useful, before starting a gaming session, to determine the loss limits at which the gaming session will be terminated. For example, a gambler has decided that he will stop playing as soon as the bankroll decreases by more than 20%. Initially, the user had 2000 AUD. So, the gaming session should be terminated as soon as the bank is equal to 1600 AUD.
You might be interested Unlocking Rewards: A Guide to Understanding Casino Bonuses
Ways to Deal with Gambling Problems
If a gambler feels that he is no longer in control of himself, he should immediately take the necessary measures. It is easier to deal with gambling addiction at the initial stages of its development. The first thing to do is to take a break. Continuing to make spins, the gambler will fall into more and more excitement, losing more and more money. Once the player feels that his psychological state has normalised, he can gradually return to making spins in slots.
It can also happen that the addiction has already developed to a more serious stage. In this case, the player has problems with money, work, social life. If the gambler feels that gambling addiction has gone too far, he needs to use the function of voluntary blocking in online casinos. It is also necessary to contact one of the organisations that help ludomaniacs in Australia. The contacts of such organisations are given on the casino websites.
By understanding the psychology of gamblers, a player can take a more intelligent approach to betting in slot machines. By applying bankroll management strategies and limiting yourself, you can increase the chances of a successful gaming session.
