Online gaming has been a hot topic of debate for a while now. With the easy availability of smartphones and increasingly accessible internet connectivity, most of the Indian masses have been introduced to online gaming. It is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing industries in India with almost 390 million registered online gamers in 2021. The number is expected to exceed 450 million by 2023.
However, the legal ambiguity surrounding the sector makes it difficult to classify whether online gambling can be considered gambling. Online gaming can have several negative connotations when viewed through the lens of gambling. While it can certainly hurt one’s finances, the industry doesn’t bode well for mental health either. Like smoking and drinking, gambling is an addiction. And, like most addictions, they can seriously affect a person’s mental well-being.
Gambling can affect the part of our brain that releases dopamine. A “feel good” hormone that develops feelings of bliss and reward. Winning gives our brain an emotional boost. If you become addicted to gambling, other enjoyable activities may no longer make you feel good, forcing you to chase the same buzz through gambling.
Over time, gambling can lead to problems with low self-esteem, high levels of stress, and anxiety and depression. When gambling becomes an uncontrollable urge, it is called pathological gambling. Pathological gambling or compulsive gambling is a condition in which the player continues to gamble despite the adverse effects that gambling has had on his life.
One of the most significant drawbacks of the game is that it isolates the individual from their families. Whether a player wins or loses, he tends to get so caught up in his addiction that he doesn’t have time for anything else. Furthermore, it could lead to a feeling of shame or guilt that can devastate the player. This is because the player may have borrowed money from other people and he may not be able to pay it back. He keeps pushing them away from people until they are completely removed from all their relationships.
When a person becomes addicted to gambling, they lose interest in other social activities. Gambling takes center stage in their thoughts when they stop thinking about their other hobbies.
Gambling has also been considered a possible contributor to the rising number of suicides in India. An addicted player spends more money than he should on the game. This causes said person to suffer a financial loss. It could lead to a severe emotional and physical breakdown, eventually resulting in suicide.
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