Gambling addiction can be found in every social class as well as in men or women of any age. However, certain factors increase a person's risk of developing a gambling addiction. These include:

• Age at onset of gambling. People who begin gambling in their youth increase their likelihood of developing a gambling addiction.
  
  
• Gender. Men are more likely than women to develop a gambling addiction. Two-thirds of people diagnosed with pathological gambling are men, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Men tend to begin gambling in their early teens, whereas women are more likely to begin in later life and to use gambling as an escape from depression.
  
  
• Ethnicity. African-Americans have a higher rate of problem and pathological gambling than other racial groups.
  
  
• Access. The availability of gambling activity also plays a role in gambling rates. The percentage of American adults who gamble has increased as access to gambling has increased. In 1978, only two states allowed casino gambling (Nevada and New Jersey). By 1998, all but two states (Hawaii and Utah) had legalized gambling in some form. Meanwhile, the number of adults in the United States who gamble went from 61 percent in the 1960s to 80 percent in 1991, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
  
  The proximity of gambling facilities such as casinos can also increase the risk of gambling addiction in a community. The National Gambling Impact Study Commission Report indicated a doubling in the rate of pathological gambling when casinos were located less than 50 miles away from a community. In addition, a growing number of Web sites dedicated to gambling provide 24-hour access to individuals who do not live near casinos and other gambling establishments.
  
  
• Other mental health disorders. People with substance abuse problems have a greater risk of developing a gambling addiction. People with disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders and personality disorders have an increased risk of pathological gambling. A history of inattention and hyperactive symptoms in childhood (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) may also increase a person’s risk of developing pathological gambling later in life.
  
  
• Family history. A family history of pathological gambling or alcohol dependence can increase a person’s risk of developing a gambling addiction.
  
  
• Biochemical imbalance. A chemical imbalance in the brain may also play a role. In particular, abnormal levels of the following neurotransmitters have been associated with pathological gambling:
  
  
• • Serotonin. Regulates mood and behavior. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, which often occurs along with a gambling addiction.
    
    
  • Norepinephrine. Released in response to stress. Norepinephrine has been linked to arousal and risk-taking in pathological gamblers. Low levels of norepinephrine may also be associated with depression.
    
    
  • Dopamine. Part of the body’s reward system. Dopamine is believed to aid the development of addictions.