Does the habit theory of addictions extend to disordered gambling?

Abstract

Purpose of review: ‘Habit theory’ is a pervasive framework that describes addiction as a transition from goal-directed use (e.g. of drugs) to a habitual response, accompanied by a neurobiological shift in fronto-striatal brain circuitry. As a theory that has been explored in the context of substance addictions, this article summarizes recent work extending habit theory to gambling behavior and gambling disorder.Recent findings: Relevant research falls into two main themes. First, studies have compared behavioral markers of habit (e.g. two-step task, Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer) in groups with and without gambling problems. These studies find limited direct support for the hypothesis. Second, psychological research has examined habit-like behaviors in naturalistic gambling. These studies find behavioral expressions consistent with habit formation, primarily during engagement with slot machines, but these studies are yet to test key tenets of habit theory such as outcome devaluation. Summary: Modern gambling products including slot machines and in-play sports betting involve a fast speed of betting and intense audiovisual feedback that creates a rich learning environment, which may be highly amenable to habit formation. Further research is needed to develop and validate new tools for testing habit strength and habit acquisition in the context of gambling.