Understanding Different Gambler Personality Types
Dr. Robert L. Custer, a psychiatrist and medical doctor was the first health professional to identify six gambler personality types way back in the early 1970's. These types varied from the low-risk and moderate-risk gamblers to the high-risk gamblers, also known as pathological gamblers. Since then the medical community has gone on to add a seventh type of gambling personality and it is now widely accepted that there are seven different types of gambling personalities out there.
While each gambler possesses a specific set of social skills and personal traits unique to him or her, psychologists have identified common patterns of behavior in each of the seven types. Read on and find out which category you belong to and be better prepared to manage your gambling activity.
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✖Professional Gamblers
The United Kingdom (UK) is one of the many countries that have legalized the gambling industry and provide a conducive environment to professional gamblers who consider legal gambling as their sole or primary source of income. Professional gamblers use their expert knowledge and skills in games such as blackjack, poker, baccarat or backgammon and win massive amounts of real money.
They are known for their patience and perseverance in the face of great odds, as well as for their ability to stand firm (i.e., no tilting) even when losses seem imminent. They choose games where the final outcomes aren't based on pure luck but on their wide range of skills, from reading the cards to reading their competitors' tells.
Professional gamblers also add legal gambling methods to their gaming strategy, join gaming sites with white hat practices, and use legal betting systems to maximise their earnings. They have the financial acumen in effectively managing their wins and losses as well as in investing their earnings. They can maintain stable emotions despite the ups and downs of gambling and, thus, get back into the game with a thoughtful plan.
Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey are notable examples of professional gamblers.
Conservative Gamblers
The main motivation for conservative gamblers to place bets on casino games is for the personal experience instead of the possibility of winning money. Conservative gamblers as the name suggests are those who choose games with low risks even when this means they end up with low chances of winning or low earnings.
Gamblers who have a conservative personality shy away from high-stakes games because of their fear of losing large sums of money. They have the lowest risks of becoming compulsive gamblers for this reason.
Many conservative gamblers can be classified as gambling tourists. They will often visit casinos in other countries since they may be unable to play in their own countries, usually due to gambling restrictions. But when they gamble, they think of it as nothing more than a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Escape Gamblers
Some gamblers use gambling as an escape or a mode of relief from their feelings of depression, anxiety, anger, loneliness, or boredom, For them, the process of choosing the game, placing their bets, and waiting for the outcome provides a distraction from their negative feelings.
They get their relief from carrying out repetitive gambling actions which in a way has a calming effect on their mind and body. There's a sense of dulling the impact of the negative feelings - an analgesic effect, if you will - but there's little to none of the euphoric response from winning. The therapeutic experience may or may not help them come to terms with their mental health issues; psychological intervention is usually recommended.
When a relief and escape gambler starts to realise there is a more viable solution to these negative feelings, they typically stop gambling. When escape gamblers experience depression, anxiety or boredom again, they may or may not resort to gambling once again depending on whether they have acquired better coping skills.
Casual Social Gamblers
For casual social gamblers, gambling is a form of recreation and entertainment usually enjoyed as part of their social life with family and friends. Many of them consider it as an enjoyable way to pass the time, get in on the action and be a part of a certain social group. These type of casual social gamblers are usually people who bet on the outcome of NFL and NBA games, place bets on the lottery or tables occasionally and maintain an account with an online casino as a hobby.
Casual social gamblers don't let their enjoyment of the games interfere with their personal and professional obligations, much less affect their overall financial status. They deliberately set limits on the frequency and duration of their betting activities as well as on the amount of bets placed on the games. They will even stay away from gambling sites for weeks or months at a time, and when they do bet, they usually choose games that involve other people.
Serious Social Gamblers
Serious social gamblers spend more time and money on gambling than casual social gamblers. In fact, they consider gambling as their primary form of recreation and relaxation, oftentimes to the exclusion of other hobbies or sports. Think of them as gambling enthusiasts in the same way that you think of golf enthusiasts.
These types of gamblers are those that tend to take adavatage of no deposit bonus codes like the ones offered here at NoDepositRewards.com
But unlike pathological gamblers, they consider gambling to be secondary in terms of priority as their personal and professional responsibilities take the first priority. Even when they end up spending long hours playing at online gambling sites, they have significant control over their gambling habits and spending. However other people may end up perceiving them as gambling addicts because of the amount of time they spend pursuing gambling related activities.
Personality Gamblers
For personality gamblers, the thrill of gambling mainly lies in getting monetary benefits illegally without getting caught. They will then spend most of their time hosting private gambling sessions and fixing sporting events where illegal methods will be used to their advantage. These can include playing for one side yet betting on the other, using marked cards and using sleight of hand tricks.
Personality gamblers aren't necessarily compulsive gamblers. But many of them will cite gambling addiction as a primary reason for their illegal activities.
Compulsive Gamblers
Compulsive gamblers can be classified into four types according to research:
- Type I is a gambling personality characterised as "disorganised and emotionally unstable". This type usually has issues with alcohol and substance abuse, possess schizotypal traits, and exhibit a high degree of impulsive behaviour.
- Type II, a schizoid type characterised by alcohol abuse, social distancing and harm avoidance.
- Type III, a reward-sensitive type with high tendencies for impulsive behaviour and a thrill-seeking personality.
- Type IV, a high-functioning personality without any signs of substance abuse-related disorders and psychopathological alterations.
If you think that you belong to one of these four sub-types of compulsive gamblers, then you should seek professional help as soon as possible. This is also true for other people who you believe may be compulsive gamblers. While self-help is a must, psychologists strongly recommend getting professional intervention to overcome the mindset of a compulsive gambler.
Legalized online gambling sites usually have to put in place measures that allow problem gamblers or compulsive gamblers the opportunity to put themselves on a self-exclusion list, set limits on the amount they can spend each week and even ban themselves from accessing an online casino.
Online casinos also tie up with problem gambling organizations such as Gambling Anonymous which provides help to compulsive gamblers.
