Gamblers have higher hopes - study

Gamblers have higher hopes - study

PROBLEM gamblers have a higher and more enduring hope of winning than other people, a new study shows.

The research, by the University of Western Sydney, reveals persistent high hope clouds the judgment of problem gamblers and leads to the impairment of self-control.

School of Psychology PhD graduate Dr Morten Boyer said an inherent characteristic of gambling was that despite the vary small chance of winning, there was always a chance.

"For problem gamblers, the perpetual, albeit small chance of winning translates into a high level of hope which makes it seem irrational to stop feeding money into the machine," Dr Boyer said.

"This may be why the warning labels on poker machines which states the unlikelihood of winning are ineffective as a preventative measure.

"At best, these labels may deter non-problem gamblers who have lower and less pervasive hopes of winning," he said.

The study hopes to provide researchers with an improved understanding of gambling behaviour.

Source: News.com.au