QUANDO O JOGO VIRA PRISÃO: IMPLICAÇÕES PSICOLÓGICAS E SOCIAIS DA DEPENDÊNCIA EM JOGOS DE AZAR

Abstract

The advancement of digital technologies has transformed leisure habits, making online gambling a common and accessible practice. This phenomenon has contributed to the increase in psychological dependence related to virtual betting, especially affecting young people and adults. The present study aims to investigate the neuroscientific and psychological aspects involved in online gambling addiction, analyzing its emotional, social, and behavioral implications. Identify the main neurobiological mechanisms related to online gambling addiction, analyze psychological factors such as impulsivity, anxiety, and the search for emotional compensation that favor the development of compulsion, discuss social and family consequences arising from gambling addiction, and raise possible awareness and intervention strategies that can help reduce the harm associated with pathological gambling. This is an exploratory and descriptive review study. Articles published in databases such as SciELO, PubMed Central, and ScienceDirect (Elsevier) were used, among which were works by authors such as Potenza (2013), Lemos et al. (2014), Doanti (2022) and Ribas et al. (2025), along with other authors, explain the neurobiology of gaming behavior, brain changes and reward systems, diagnostic criteria, and the family, social, and public health dimensions. The study also addressed the importance of multidisciplinary interventions and public policies aimed at prevention and treatment, given the complex and multifactorial nature of the problem.