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RISE Blog | What are the Chances?: The Facts About Gambling

Written By: Ayin Lewis, Peer Educator
Edited By: Giana Matheny
April 18th, 2025

Becoming an adult and going to college comes with so many new experiences! Gambling is one of the things that you’re allowed to do when you turn eighteen in many places. With recent laws and modern technology there is greater access and opportunity to gamble than ever before. It may be fun to occasionally try your luck at winning a big prize, but do you know the risks? 

Forms of Gambling

When you hear the word gambling, pictures of casinos or scenes of horse races from old movies may come to mind. But gambling comes in many different forms and is more common than you might think. 
 
Gambling is when you stake something valuable, usually money, for a chance to win something even better, whether that’s cash or another kind of prize.
 
You might know that card games, slot machines and lottery tickets are ways to gamble. Did you know that betting on sports teams is a form of gambling? There are also apps with digital slot machines and other games that advertise the chance to win (and lose) real money. 
 
There are less obvious types found in video games. Some video games include items called “loot boxes” that players can buy for real money, with the chance of winning an in-game prize or nothing at all (American Psychological Association, 2023). 
 
Many people use gambling for entertainment. Trying your luck or playing a game can be a lot of fun, and it can be exciting to have a chance of winning a prize. In any case, it’s crucial to be sure you know the laws on gambling in your state. In Texas, most forms of gambling are illegal. The only ones allowed are state sanctioned games, lottery tickets, horse racing, games raising money for charities and card games on private property. The age you have to be for these different activities varies. It’s always best to check up on the most recent laws to make sure you are following them.  
 
Overall, gambling is when you agree to win or lose something of value through a game of chance. While gambling can be a fun form of entertainment, every state has different laws on gambling, so make sure you know the laws of gambling wherever you are.

Risk and Reward in the Brain 

Aside from having a good time or the chance to win, why do people gamble? Why do they continue to gamble after they’ve already lost? This has to do with our brains and how they predict risk and reward. 
  
Whenever a person makes a decision, their brain balances the potential risk over the possibility of a reward through dopamine release and reinforcement.
 
When the body is exposed to certain stimuli (sensations, experiences, substances and behaviors) the brain releases dopamine. Dopamine is a hormone that gives us the feeling of reward or pleasure. Our brain then connects this feeling of reward to what we just experienced. If we repeat the action and experience the dopamine release again (for instance, pulling the lever on a slot machine), the connection gets reinforced. This way, we learn how to repeat behaviors to get the same reward.

This process plays a natural role in things like knowing where to get good food, engaging in healthy physical activity or spending time with people we enjoy being with. However, this can also cause an increase in reward-seeking behaviors relating to gambling, substance use or social media. 
 
People may start gambling because they want to try their chances at winning a prize or just want to have a good time. However, gambling can easily become a pattern of behavior that is driven by the risk and reward centers of the brain seeking a release of dopamine.

What is Gambling Addiction?

This reward-seeking behavior becomes an addiction when it negatively interferes with a person’s life. 
 
A gambling addiction is defined as “recurrent, maladaptive gambling behavior” that causes major stress. (Cleveland Clinic). 
 
Some signs of gambling addiction are:

  • Frequently thinking about gambling or constantly anticipating gambling. When a person spends a large amount of time thinking about gambling and looking forward to the next time they gamble.
  • An inability to stop, even after trying to stop or reduce time spent gambling. When a person has decided to stop gambling but falls back into the habit even though they don’t necessarily want to gamble.
  • Irritability. People experiencing gambling addiction can become irritable with family, friends, co-workers and themselves. This in turn can affect the person’s relationships with other people.
  • Increased gambling activity when stressed/used as a stress reliever. Someone experiencing a gambling addiction may use gambling as a stress reliever, resorting to gambling when under a lot of stress. It may make them feel better in the short term but increase in gambling can lead to more stress over time.
  • Spending more and more money and time gambling. When a person is experiencing gambling addiction, it may take more time and more risk for them to get that rewarding feeling. If they continue to spend higher amounts of time and money, it can negatively affect their life through work, relationships and finances.
  • When gambling interferes with a person’s work or life, preventing them from properly completing their responsibilities. A person experiencing gambling addiction may spend so much time gambling that they neglect their duties, such as work, home life or relationship maintenance. Gambling takes up more of their time and leaves little space for the everyday responsibilities and other elements of life.
  • Going into excessive debt due to gambling. A person experiencing gambling addiction may accrue a large amount of debt through gambling. They may take on loans in order to continue gambling. This can be detrimental to a person’s financial and emotional wellness.

Gambling addiction can affect multiple aspects of a person’s life, causing difficulty at work, school and in relationships. What can someone do if they are experiencing gambling addiction - and if they aren’t, how can they avoid it?

Helpful Habits and How to Get Help

Whether you are a student looking forward to gambling for the first time, or an experienced gambler concerned about possible addiction, there are resources available for different needs.

Here are some good things to keep in mind:

  • Make a budget and stick to it. When you decide to gamble, plan how much money you want to use for betting and only use that amount.
  • Keep track of time. Like with money, it’s a good idea to make a plan for how much time you want to spend gambling, and to be aware of how much time you are spending on it. One way you can do this is by setting a timer on your phone for when you want to take a break.
  • Balance gambling with other activities. Like with all things we do, balance is essential. Make sure you are still taking time for other types of fun activities, like spending time with friends, hiking, reading etc.
  • Take breaks. Like keeping track of time, sometimes it’s good to pause and go do something else while gambling. Sometimes, it may be beneficial to take a longer break, like for a week or month. If it feels like gambling is not fun anymore, or is taking too much time or energy, it may be time to take a break.
  • Remember that gambling is a form of entertainment. All in all, you are playing to have a fun time! It can be easy to get caught up in the idea of winning a lot of money (especially if you have won a couple of times!) but remember that gambling is a form of entertainment, and not a way to make money. If you do win money, that’s great! But know that it isn’t consistent, and in the long run, you will most likely lose more money than you win.

If you are curious about your propensity for risky behavior, it may be helpful to check out the “Gamealyze” quiz at responsibleplay.org, a division under the National Council on Problem Gambling. This website has many more resources on how to keep good gambling habits.

If you or someone you know experiences gambling addiction, you are not alone. There are resources and groups available to help.  

Therapy and Addiction Support 

There are different kinds of counseling and coaching available to people dealing with gambling addiction. Here on the Texas Tech Campus, there is:

  • The Student Counseling Center. The Student Counseling Center provides mental health care and resources for students. Students can make an appointment or visit the clinic during walk-in hours.
  • The Center for Students in Addiction Recovery. The Center for Students in Addiction Recovery has programs, support, and resources for students struggling with addiction.
  • RISE Wellness Coaching. Student Wellness Coaching sessions are one-on-one sessions dedicated to fostering personal growth through open dialogue, self-reflection and interactive activities. More information and booking a session can be found on the RISE website under "What We Do".

More resources can be found at The National Council on Problem Gambling or through local counseling centers.

Peer Support Groups and Addiction Programs

There are different types of Support groups that exist to help people who are living with gambling addiction. Two prominent programs are:

  • Gambler’s Anonymous. This follows a 12 step program, similar to Alcoholics’ Anonymous, which pairs spirituality and self-reflection practices to help a person overcome addiction. It has a peer support group that can provide a sense of community as a person works towards addiction recovery.
  • SMART Recovery. SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is a program that uses methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help a person manage addiction through self-management, mutual support and choice.

Talk to a Trusted Friend

Stay connected to friends and family when dealing with difficult struggles. Talk to someone you trust and spend time with loved ones. 
 
If you are the trusted friend of someone dealing with gambling addiction, remember to practice empathy and patience. You can suggest attending counseling or a support group. Try to bring up concerns and support your friend without judgement.
 
If someone is gambling, there are habits they can practice to make sure their time spent gambling is enjoyable and safe. There are different ways that people experiencing gambling addiction can get help to manage their addiction, such as therapy, counseling and support groups.  

Keep it Fun

Even though gambling is a form of entertainment, practicing healthy habits and balancing other activities with gambling is important People may start out just having fun, but gambling can become a habit as someone looks for higher and more frequent dopamine rewards. While it can be a fun experience to take part in gambling in accordance with local laws, it can still be detrimental to a person’s personal, professional, or financial wellness if it becomes an addiction. If you recognize signs of gambling addiction in yourself or someone else, there are resources that can help. Be aware of the signs of addiction and resources so you can stay healthy and live your best life.

Resources

References

Caruso, C. (2025). How the brain balances risk and reward in making decisions. Harvard Medical School.

Fact sheet: Gambling disorder among college students. (2023). College Gambling. 

Fox, S. 2024. Texas Gambling Laws & Legal Age to Gamble. (2024). Let's Gamble USA.  

Gambling disorder. (2025). Cleveland Clinic.

Gambling in Texas. (2025). Texas State Law Library.

Glimne, D. (2025). Gambling. Encyclopedia Britannica. 

Guy-Evans, O. (2023). Brain Reward System. Simple Psychology. 

Hing, N., Thorne, H., Lole, L., Sproston, K., Hodge, N., & Rockloff, M. (2024). “Getting addicted to it and losing a lot of money… it’s just like a hole.” A grounded theory model of how social determinants shape adolescents’ choices to not gamble. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1270–13. 

Jones, H. (2024). What is gambling addiction?. Very Well Health.  

Kachlík, P. (2016). Addictive behavior of full-time students at Masaryk University and options in its prevention (1st ed). Masaryk University, Faculty of Education.

McCormack, A., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Motivating and Inhibiting Factors in Online Gambling Behaviour: A Grounded Theory Study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10(1), 39–53.   

Osborne, J. W. (2023). Colleges face gambling addiction among students as sports betting spreads. The Conversation. 

Peer Support Resources. (2025). National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Sohn, E. (2023). How gambling affects the brain and who is most vulnerable to addiction. American Psychological Association. 

 

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