Online Gambling Frustration: Causes, Management, and Avoidance

by Ava Thomas Content Creator

Most people view gambling as nothing more than harmless fun. It’s a great way to unwind after a long day’s work. Ideally, you want to hit the casinos and win. However, lady luck doesn’t always favor you. Most seasoned gamblers know when to stop playing if fortune doesn’t favor them on a specific day. However, some gamblers become obsessed with losing streaks. They want to amend their losing record. So, they convince themselves to play one more game. Eventually, one more game turns into two, then three, and so on. Before you know it, you’ve lost more money than you wanted at the casinos.

Such behavior is also known as gambling frustration. It exists whether you gamble in a land-based casino or online. If you don’t know when to cut your losses and walk away, you’ve likely got a bigger problem on your hands. Your gambling frustration is part of your gambling addiction. The frustration is a trigger that causes you to abandon logic and instead act emotionally.

What are Gambling Triggers?

Gambling triggers refer to the reasons inducing you to gamble. It doesn’t matter whether your preferred gambling form is buying lottery tickets, online gambling, or going to the casino; gambling triggers will urge you to gamble. Gambling triggers will cause you to gamble without reason. Gambling triggers range from anger and frustration to peer pressure.

Many people eventually succumb to their gambling triggers and become gambling addicts. You know your gambling is out of control if it starts to interfere with your personal and professional life. For instance, you might notice gambling taking a toll on your finances, relationships, and career.

Contrary to popular belief, many responsible and dependable people have a gambling addiction. Although gambling triggers like frustration, anger, and stress are the most common, others gambling triggers also exist.

Here are some other gambling triggers:

Retirement: Many people are often unprepared for retirement. They don’t have enough hobbies to keep them occupied. Likewise, they might miss the excitement they would get from their workplace. The latter is often true for people working in fast-paced environments like stockbrokers, athletes, etc.

Traumatic situations: If you’ve been through a traumatic situation recently, you might be more inclined to gamble to feel better.

Emotional upheaval: People going through an emotional upheaval like depression or anxiety often find themselves gambling.

Loneliness: Loneliness also contributes to increased gambling. Many people find good company in fellow gamblers.

Other addictions: Research shows people with an existing addiction are more at risk of developing another addiction. Many scientists speculate genetic and neurological conditions might contribute to addiction.

How to Identify Your Gambling Triggers?

Do you feel a constant need to gamble? If so, you’ve likely got gambling triggers pushing your buttons. If you have constant gambling urges, you might be a gambling addict. That’s because gambling triggers are more prevalent in addicts.

To identify your gambling triggers, ask yourself a few questions.

How Am I Feeling Right Now?

Consider examining your feelings the next time you get an urge to gamble. Are you gambling because you’re stressed? Perhaps, it’s frustration that’s prompting you to gamble. Or maybe you’re angry with your professional or personal life, and gambling helps you vent. Recognizing your gambling triggers is the crucial first step to ending your gambling problem.

More interestingly, some people prefer gambling when they’re elated. If that’s the case for you, you might want to assess other ways to celebrate happiness and success instead of gambling.

What About Your Environment?

Some gamblers often feel compelled to gamble when surrounded by fellow gamblers. Likewise, others can’t resist when they see an ongoing gambling game. Their first instinct is to join. If that’s the case for you, try removing yourself from such situations.

Managing Your Online Gambling Frustration

Managing your online gambling frustration is crucial. Otherwise, you could sink deeper into the hole and become an addict. As we stated above, identifying your gambling triggers is crucial. Doing so is the first step of the puzzle because it allows you to address the root problem.

In addition, gambling frustration is primarily an emotional problem instead of a financial problem. Most online gamblers become frustrated when things aren’t going their way. They want to recoup losses. So, they convince themselves to play another game. One of the most crucial skills any gambler must master is knowing when to cut your losses. If you’ve constantly lost a few games on the trot, you might be better off coming back to play another day. If you continue to play games while frustrated, it will impair your decision-making.

Furthermore, once you’ve identified your gambling trigger, make sure to reduce its influence on you. For some people, this means removing themselves from that situation, while others only need to be more mindful of their triggers.

If your gambling frustration continues spiraling uncontrollably, consider taking a break from gambling. A change of scenery will benefit you. In addition, you can return to gambling with a fresh mind.

Avoiding Gambling Frustration

Ideally, you’ll want to devise a gambling plan. For instance, you might want to quit gambling for the day if you rack up three straight losses while playing. Likewise, you might want to cash out your winnings if you make three times your betting amount.

If you’re unable to follow your gambling plan, consider taking a break from gambling. Refraining from gambling might help you clear your mind and think about the toll gambling is taking on you.