Taking a flutter on a wager, whatever you might bet on, is a way to give your body an instant adrenaline rush. The risk of gambling releases endorphins in the pleasure centres of your brain, the same way physical exercise does.

This is why the thrill of visiting a casino can be such an addictive feeling, and why gamblers need to remain in control of their cravings. Betting for kicks with money you can afford to lose is fun; betting compulsively is a recipe for disaster.

While some casino games can be played at lazy half-attention, more a background to socialising than engaging punters intensely, other require your full focus all the time, and provide excitement to match. Here is a list of five high-adrenaline casino games.

Infinite Blackjack

This Blackjack variant from Evolution Gaming keeps you on your toes by only giving you 18 seconds to play at each turn. It plays on mobile with eight decks and caters to an unlimited number of players. If you plan to play fast games like blackjack, poker, baccarat or roulette, your bankroll will go further if you practise first at a free casino.

Lightning Roulette

Featuring a wheel with a single zero and no side bets, this mobile-compatible game keeps the roulette coming fast and furious. Payouts can be increased at random by a X500 multiplier, which is always a nice surprise. Lightning Roulette ups the adrenaline factor by making you play more speedily, rather than forcing you to place bigger bets. If you keep your wagers affordable, studies show, the fun you get from playing is the same, win or lose.

Lightning Dice

Another simple game that will get your heart rate up through the sheer speed of play, Lightning Dice is also a mobile-compatible game based on the same principle as Lightning Roulette: speedy play is more exciting than massive wagers.

You need to guess the total that will result from each throw of the dice, and the biggest thrill is the random X1000 multiplier. The return to player percentage is over 96%, so it makes sense to play until you score a win that leaves you better than breaking even, then leave the table.

Dream Catcher

This wheel-of-fortune game, also from Evolution Gaming, offers payouts of between 1:1 and 40:1, with a potential multiplier added on every spin. It’s one of the simplest games to bet on in a casino, yet it’s also one of the fastest and one most likely to get your blood pumping with excitement.

Speed Roulette

Another Evolution Gaming product: they seem to specialise in adrenaline-pumping casino variants. This one is based on the European wheel, so it has only one zero, which is good news. Like the others, it works on a mobile device, and allows in-game chat.

You can place no side bets, but there are two options, Speed Auto Roulette and Live Dealer Edition, that you can play simultaneously. Best of all, there is an autoplay feature, so you can set your favourite roulette bet and repeat it for every spin.