Although the causes of pathological gambling are not known for certain, researchers have made many observations about the dynamics of the disease and the personality profiles of those who succumb to it.

Gambling addiction expert Dr. Richard Rosenthal believes that three criteria are necessary for a person to become a pathological gambler:

• An intolerable feeling state, such as helplessness, depression, or guilt
• A highly developed capacity for self-deception, and
• Exposure to gambling under circumstances in which it is valued. Also
• Physical or hereditary predispositions are also thought to play a role, though these links have not been proven or disproven.

One study conducted by Alec Roy, M.D., formerly of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, showed that some pathological gamblers have lower levels of the brain chemical norepinephrine than normal gamblers.

It has been hypothesized that pathological gamblers may engage in addictive gambling to increase their levels of norepinephrine, since it is excreted under stress and arousal.