pokie machines or Blackjack), and give players the opportunity to practice gambling. They look, feel and play like casino games (i.e. When children start playing games it’s important for parents to understand the risks and help children enter the world of gaming as safely as possible. When overstimulated the chemical can make us crave activities that aren’t good for us. Players can often experience withdrawal when trying to stop gaming.Īs with drug use and gambling, excessive gaming can overstimulate a chemical in our brains (called dopamine) which helps control feelings of pleasure and reward. Increased skill can mean more time spent playing to get the same level of enjoyment. Players can become completely absorbed in a game and play for long hours. People often spend extended lengths of time playing these games.
Modern video games are exciting, rewarding and engaging.
The term ‘gaming’ is also used to describe the practice of gambling, in particular casino gambling and poker machines. Gaming is the act of playing electronic games or video games on a game console (Xbox/Playstation), personal computer, handheld device (Nintendo/Game Boy) or mobile device (phone/tablet), in other words ‘playing video games’.