From Roman Chariot Races to Youth Online Gambling… The Human Tragedy Caused by Dopamine

Gambling is recorded in human history as a cultural phenomenon that fascinated even massive empires. In a video from tvN's 'Seol Min-seok's Naked World History', the influence of gambling on the human brain and society was covered, ranging from sports betting in ancient Rome to the online gambling threatening modern youth.

Roman Chariot Races, Sports Betting, and the Historical Roots of Match-Fixing

The ancient Roman Empire is described as an era where everyone from emperors to ordinary citizens was immersed in gambling. At that time, Romans were enthusiastic not only about dice games but also about sports betting, such as chariot races. In the Circus Maximus stadium, which could accommodate up to 250,000 people, chariot races were so prevalent that one in five citizens would gather there. People at the time would check lists on the stadium bulletin boards and even analyze the lineage of the horses to be cautious with their bets; this process of information analysis became a factor that made gambling feel like a game of skill rather than mere luck.

Match-fixing, the dark side of sports betting, has left major incidents in history. A representative example is the Major League Baseball 'Black Sox Scandal' in 1919. At that time, eight Chicago White Sox players received bribes amounting to approximately 2.2 billion won in today's value from a gambling organization and intentionally lost in the World Series. This incident resulted in the players being permanently banned from baseball and served as a turning point for strictly prohibiting match-fixing worldwide.

Selective Breeding Derived from Animal Speculation and Massive Illegal Industries

Gambling involving animals, not just humans, also played a role in history. Various forms of animal gambling existed, from cockfighting in Rome to cricket fighting in China's Song Dynasty. In 18th-century Britain, in particular, dog fighting became popular, forming a market where large sums of money were exchanged. When the Animal Welfare Act was enacted in Britain in 1835 and dog fighting was banned, it instead took root as a global illegal gambling practice.

Artificial selective breeding to create stronger and fiercer animals shows the cruelty of the gambling industry. 'Bullterriers', which combined the jaw strength of bulldogs with the agility of terriers to increase aggressiveness and endurance, and 'Tosa dogs', created in Japan for large physical size, were born in this context. Currently, the number of people involved in organized dog fighting in the United States is estimated to be about 40,000, and the dog fighting market leads to an illegal industry worth approximately 1 trillion won annually.

"I thought it was a game"... The Cunning Tactics of Online Gambling Penetrating Youth Daily Life

In modern times, gambling is penetrating the daily lives of youth through online channels. Online gambling, exposed through banner advertisements on illegal streaming sites, is designed to look like mobile games by featuring cute characters and simple rules. This 'deception' makes teenagers mistake gambling for a healthy game.

According to the 2025 Youth Gambling Status Survey by the Korea Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Center, approximately 150,000 youths have experienced gambling at least once in their lives, and about 19% of those who experienced it have continued gambling within the last 6 months. In particular, the average age of first-time gambling experience was found to be 12.5 years old, suggesting that exposure begins during elementary school years. Secondary crimes, such as school violence, illegal high-interest loans, and even voice phishing or drug crimes, are being reported as ways to secure gambling funds. A case in 2024 where 15 out of 16 arrested members of an illegal gambling site operation organization were teenagers supports the seriousness of the youth gambling problem.

Gambling addiction changes the brain's circuitry. Dopamine, which explodes when an unexpected result occurs, modifies the brain, making it unresponsive to ordinary stimuli and decreasing impulse control abilities. Additionally, the 'loss aversion' psychology of trying to recover losses creates a vicious cycle that leads to betting larger amounts. Experts emphasize that rather than dismissing gambling addiction as an issue of individual will, it should be viewed as a disease requiring treatment by improving social perception.