Poker can be learned. Suppose you are playing poker with Tim. How do you know whether he has a strong card or is bluffing? How does he react to your card? You start paying attention to Tim's betting style. You will get a better understanding of how he plays. Maybe you can take advantage of that. With practice and experience, you can get better at playing poker. Still, the government sees poker as a game of chance. Because you have no influence on the cards that are dealt. Coincidence usually determines whether you win or lose. That's why poker still falls under the Gambling Act.

Games of chance have no memory. So the odds are independent. Yet this is hard to believe. Even the greatest scientist thinks after four reds at roulette: now it must be black once.

But in every game, the odds remain 18/37. Roulette has 36 numbers and the 0. The probability of the ball landing on one of these numbers is 1/37. In roulette, 18 numbers are red and 18 are black. The 0 is green. The probability of red or black is 18/37. Just under 50 per cent or 1 in 2. The ball does not remember which colour was dropped. Casinos do want you to believe that the odds are dependent. That's why they show how many times it has been red in a row. Don't let this fool you.

Suppose you roll a die 1200 times. Then you throw each number about the same number of times. So 200 times 1, 200 times 2, 200 times 3, and so on. Now suppose you throw only 18 times. Then chances are you throw one number more often than the others. For example, 6 times 4.

Then you think: that's a coincidence, it's 4 every time, and: if I had bet on 4, I would have earned well. So if you play a short time (18 throws), luck gets a chance. If you play for a long time (1,200 throws), the chance of luck is gone. It's the same way with games of chance. If you play a few games, you can win by chance. If you play for a long time or often, chance wins over luck.

Not all games are equally addictive. Sometimes it takes a while to get the results, like in a lottery. These are called ‘long-odds’ games. These games are not addictive because you don't feel much tension. After all, you only notice after a while whether you have won or not. In other games, you know immediately whether you win or lose. Think of roulette or slots. These games are called ‘short-odds games of chance’. Here, the tension is built up and reduced quickly each time because, as a player, you know immediately whether you are winning or losing. Short-odds games are therefore extra addictive.

In these conditions, you are at extra risk of becoming addicted:

• You play short-odds games of chance, the outcome of which you know immediately.

• You have the opportunity to bet a lot of money.

• You can play a lot and often in a row.

• You can play anonymously and alone. For example, at home where no one checks you.

• You can play in a nice atmosphere. With nice light, pleasant colours, video clips and virtual reality.

• You think you have control over the outcome of the game.

• Online gambling can be extra addictive.

Online games seem to be extra addictive. Because you play them faster than in real life. For instance, the cards don't have to be shuffled. The computer does that.

Also, you can play online games on multiple screens at the same time. And you have 24/7 access to online gambling. So you have to be strong-willed to avoid online casinos.

Do you ever think you have influence in a gambling game? Can you sense when the chances of winning are high? Then you are not the only one. Many players believe in their strategy. In roulette, they think: I can win because I pay attention to hot and cold numbers. In blackjack: I can win, because the dealer is losing. Or at a slot machine: the machine will give now, because I have been playing for a long time. These thoughts seem logical, but are wrong. The outcome of games of chance is largely determined by chance. And not by knowledge or practice.

However, there are gambling games you can be good or skillful at. Like sports betting, blackjack or poker. Yet you cannot win these games in the long run. Coincidence continues to play a big role. You never fully control the game. So there is always a chance of losing.

For many players, however, it is not so much about winning or losing. More about playing and the excitement.

Of course, you can get quite lucky with gambling from time to time. But you can only do that if you gamble occasionally. If you play often, chance wins over luck. Any chance of luck is then 0. The more often you play, the less luck. So the art of gambling is: playing every now and then to give luck a chance.