09/27/2025
Compulsive gambling: Increased gambling obsession with diminishing returns
Compulsive gambling often follows a curve of diminishing returns-both
emotionally and financially. Early wins, vivid near-misses, and the novelty
of risk create a powerful surge of excitement. Over time, though, the brain
adapts. The same bet yields less thrill, and the gambler needs larger stakes
or more frequent play to recapture the original high. This is a classic
tolerance pattern: more input for less payoff. Increased risks and
unpredictable rewards keep hope alive, but each additional hour or dollar
tends to buy a smaller and smaller sense of satisfaction.
"Chasing losses" feels rational-get back to even and walk away-but in
practice, it increases risk without changing the unfavorable odds.
Escalating bets to recover quickly result in a paradox: the more intensely
one tries to dig out, the more entrenched the losses become.
Compulsive gambling also erodes the ability to hold financial goals in view.
Savings, debt payoff, education funds, a cushion for emergencies-these
long-term aims are gradually crowded out by the immediate, emotionally
charged task of placing the next bet. In that mindset, people often redouble
their efforts precisely when they should pause. Seen this way, compulsive
gambling is a machine that converts focus and resources into diminishing
emotional highs and widening financial setbacks. Mike Mooney
