What does 'Squid Games' tell us about gambling addiction?

The hit Netflix series 'Squid Games', recently released a second season addressing some heavy topics. ?

In this Q&A, we asked Kyle Faust, PhD, a clinical psychologist and director of the Digital Addiction and Gambling Treatment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital to speak about gambling disorders and some of the intense scenes portrayed in the show.

Q: Many of the characters in the show play the games because they have significant gambling debt. What did you think of Squid Game's portrayal of gambling addiction?

A: Since Seong Gi-hun (player 456) is our protagonist, I'll focus on his gambling behaviors. From what I've observed in the show, Seong Gi-hun appears to meet at least four criteria of gambling disorder in season one. I can't diagnose someone if I haven't seen them as a patient, but if he was fully assessed by a psychologist and these criteria were observed, it would likely be enough to meet criteria for gambling disorder, although he'd likely be considered in sustained remission if he was assessed during season two. Some of the criteria I observed in Seong Gi-hun are as follows: First, he relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by his gambling. Second, he's jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational opportunity because of his gambling. Third, he's often preoccupied with gambling, which can include thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble. And fourth, he lies to conceal the extent of his involvement with gambling. To diagnose gambling disorder, we'd also need to be sure that Seong Gi-hun's gambling is not caused by a manic episode, and he'd need to consistently show at least four out of the nine gambling criteria for at least 12 months.

Q: At the beginning of season two, the recruiter for the games offers people on the street the choice between food or a scratch ticket. Most chose the scratch ticket. What did you think of the significance of this scene and how it reflects society?

A: Given that the people on the street are offered only a small piece of bread that probably wouldn’t provide more than a single meal, it’s understandable that most of them chose the small possibility of long-term comfort offered via the scratch ticket rather than the short-term relief provided by the bread. Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware that the odds of winning any sizable amount of money from a scratch ticket are so low that taking the bread is more likely to bring at least some short-term comfort. This is also an example of how many people believe they might get lucky when gambling, despite extremely low odds of winning.

Q: In season 2, the players vote to either keep playing or leave and split the prize money after each game. This is a new development from season 1. Despite knowing they could die if they continue, the majority votes each time to go on. Could you talk about this “higher risk/higher reward” mindset, and what someone with a gambling disorder might be thinking?

A: There is a thinking trap often seen in gambling disorder called “chasing losses” in which a gambler will continue gambling in an effort to win back the money they lost, sometimes making larger bets than before. Since most of the players are in debt from one form of gambling or another, their desire to continue playing despite the risk of death could be seen as a very extreme version of chasing losses. Someone with gambling disorder may also have built-up tolerance when gambling, meaning they aren’t satisfied with small wins and constantly want larger wins to begin experiencing dopamine rushes again.