What makes you vulnerable to a gambling addiction?

According to author and neuroanatomy journalist Maia Szalavitz, your brain doesn't always decide to develop a gambling addiction. Instead, it merely desires to identify a pattern. There are no foreign chemicals required for this 'want' to function. A serious gambler's brain is so motivated to uncover the rules of the game's structure that it will keep the individual playing by convincing itself that it will eventually figure it out and that they are only one win away from financial success. Addictive gamblers make up a small but significant portion of all gamblers, so it doesn't happen to everyone. However, their brains resemble those of a serious drug addict seeking their next fix. Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction is Maia's most recent book.