Editing Problem gambling (section)

==== Evolutionary psychology ====
Some researchers propose that human gambling behaviour reflects evolved tendencies toward risk-taking that historically conferred adaptive benefits.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hunt |first1=Adam |last2=Merola |first2=Giuseppe Pierpaolo |last3=Carpenter |first3=Tom |last4=Jaeggi |first4=Adrian V. |date=2024-04-01 |title=Evolutionary perspectives on substance and behavioural addictions: Distinct and shared pathways to understanding, prediction and prevention |journal=Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews |volume=159 |pages=105603 |doi=10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105603 |issn=0149-7634|doi-access=free |pmid=38402919 }}</ref> For example, gambling can be understood as a form of “risky reward-seeking,” where individuals overestimate potential gains—an inclination that modern gambling industries exploit.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Anselme |first=Patrick |date=November 2013 |title=Dopamine, motivation, and the evolutionary significance of gambling-like behaviour |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0166432813004385 |journal=Behavioural Brain Research |language=en |volume=256 |pages=1–4 |doi=10.1016/j.bbr.2013.07.039|pmid=23896052 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> From this view, men tend to gamble more and engage in higher-stakes bets because male reproductive success is often linked to risk-based competition, paralleling other risky activities like big-game hunting or physical aggression. Younger adults may also be more prone to gambling due to the evolutionary advantage of status-seeking during peak reproductive years.

Other [[Evolutionary psychiatry|evolutionary accounts]] highlight the role of reward uncertainty. Researchers suggest that unpredictability itself motivates animals (including humans) to persevere in reward-seeking despite repeated failures, which can foster persistent gambling behaviour. [[Life history theory|Life History Theory]] further explains why some individuals are more vulnerable to problem gambling, proposing that those with a “fast” strategy (marked by impulsiveness and short-term planning) may be especially drawn to high-risk, high-reward scenarios.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Del Giudice |first=Marco |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/1052 |title=Evolutionary Psychopathology |date=July 2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-024684-6 |volume=1 |language=en |doi=10.1093/med-psych/9780190246846.001.0001}}</ref> In this framework, personality traits favoring present-oriented decision-making increase susceptibility to gambling addiction, mirroring risk-taking behaviors seen in other species.