Causes

The exact causes of why person A becomes a gambling addict and person B doesn’t when exposed to the same stimuli, are not known. From a strictly biological perspective, there are a few clues to it though.

There are certain chemicals produced by the brain which the body uses to regulate diverse functions. Dopamine is a chemical released by the brain in response to pleasure. It’s a kind of reward the body gets for successfully fulfilling one of its natural functions, such as eating or heaving sex. While it is unclear how dopamine acts in problem gamblers, one thing is certain: it has a big role in developing addiction.

Serotonin could be another ‘culprit’. This chemical, released into the synapses between nerve-cells helps neurons communicate. Serotonin is one of the main mood and behavior regulators of the organism.

Noradrenaline is known to be released into the system under stress, and it makes the body respond to stressful circumstances with increased efficiency. It is thought that noradrenaline is responsible for the risk-taking urges and the arousal players feel when they have a lot of money riding on the flip of a coin.

Which one of these chemicals could be definitively tied to problem-gambling predisposition is unclear. It’s more likely that it’s a combination of all three (and possible some other, currently unsuspected factors) that make one person more likely to become addicted than another.