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I know we are greatly influenced by the environment we are born into and sometimes become gamblers because of where we find ourselves, i also considered the possibility of gambling being hereditary and found out that it is also possible, that is  gambling can be hereditary  (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news-medical.net/amp/news/20100610/Gambling-addiction-can-be-inherited-equally-by-sons-and-daughters-Study.aspx),
now come to think of it since it is difficult to escape our genetic makeup,
- Would you blame an individual who becomes addicted to gambling because it is wired to his DNA?

-Can their gambling problem be put in check by regular methods?

-Will the addiction be worse than someone who picked up the habit?

Gambling can be genetic and passed on to offspring, but I have noticed that females are not addicted as male when it comes to gambling and that gives me doubt about it, or maybe that is how it is in my region, men are most into gambling. Or maybe the gene is more concentrated in men than women.

No one can blame addicts, but any bad deeds done by them can be punished. The more fact we need is that addiction is not good, it can lead to a kind of life someone do not wish for himself, the reason we should use just the amount of money we can afford to lose and nothing more than that.

No, if the reasoning will be about DNA.

Yes, if it's his own action and he never listens to one's advise on how to avoid or make it controlled by him.

Yes, it can be checked at all times to see if the person who inherited it really has that inheritance through his veins. But for me, whether you have an inherited DNA from a gambler, it's still you that will be taking action and your personal decision.

It depends to the individual and his gambling habit and level of addiction.

- Its not DNA but its rather a personal kind of choice because ive known people who are showing or going opposite even if their surrounding do engage with gambling activities.

- Nothing is different because everything would really be basing on your choice.
- Nothing is different whether you had get on being influenced or on your personal choice then it wouldnt matter. There's no difference to that.

I'm not sure about the DNA thingy though, maybe it has, but I think it's probably on what they see on their parents that is pass from generations to generations, not DNA per se. If you see you parents at a young age, have gambling sessions in your house (this is prevalent is Asian Culture, playing mah-jong). Definitely you can inherited this as you grow old. So it is still the environment that is the influencing factor and I think majority of gamblers some kind of interaction or exposed to gambling when they are very young. But we have a choice, whether to fall victim or not.

No, even if it his own doings, I still won't blame him.  No one likes to be an addict.  The person is just a victim of too much dopamine secreted on his brain.  Now do we blame the victim?


Is there a special means to treat this kind of gambling addict?  I can't find any special treatment of this kind on the internet probably they use the same method for gambling disorder withdrawal.


I don't think so, I believe it is still a matter of decision.  If a person is strong will in avoiding gambling activities then I don't see they will be worse than any other gambler.



That is what I thought too until I found large numbers of  articles and researches regarding this matter.

Gambling is anywhere so it's up to the person if they will enter the world of gambling. It's a choice not came from everywhere cause if you have a mindset that gambling is good and bring you a lot of money then that kind of mindset is not good cause gambling is base on your luck you can not win every bet but you were lost big than winning. The main problem of the gambling addict is the gambler itself if they let gambling will take over them and fall into a trap.

Let's say a person inherited that gene. Would he still become a gambling addict if he's never been exposed to a gambling environment?

I know there's a study and everything but I still find it stupid to link a gambling addiction to a person's genes hehe. It's like finding an excuse why you are obese because "genes" but you keep eating a lot of carbs and sugar while spending most of your time on the couch.

I am inclined to believe that one person is not only their genetic material (genotype) but also the physical manisfestation of it (phenotype).
So we all are the result of a combination of environmental factors and generic factors.

So I would not blame someone's gambling enthusiasm to their genotype only, there are genes that won't manifest unless the conditions are set for it to happen.

For example, perhaps I am genetically pre-destined to have a quite higher chance to suffer from alcoholism but if I happen to live in an islamic country my genes themselves are not enough to push me towards the problem.  

^ I don't think blaming bloodline in your gambling addiction is the right one that is not the right one.
It is a choice not inherit in your bloodline, you are the one who is responsible for yourself not your family's DNA.  
Gambling addiction starts in that stage to become a habit, which is frequently gambled and then turns into an addiction. We should be responsible gamblers, if you think that is too much, then put a limit on it.

Gambling tendencies genetic?  Nah its all environmental.  There is no links between genetics and gambling habits.  If you bring someone up without gambling in theor upbringing they won't be pre disposed to it.

This is a new study and this is something new to all of us, this is something to be considered by parents and check if their children are lenient to gambling like their parents, these findings will be a big help and a guide for the prevention and should be considered as part of the healing process for compulsive gamblers and for those who are slowly falling to gambling.

I wouldn't blame it, because I don't believe that if a parent is addicted to gambling and has a child who is far from the parent, how could that child be addicted to gambling? DNA? this is ridiculous, people are not born addicts, they become addicts


addiction has treatment, just seek medical help and treat yourself, it is not impossible to stop being addicted. anyone who is addicted and seeks a doctor and is committed to leaving the addiction, that person can be cured.


no, it is not. addiction is something that is acquired, and the damage depends on the environment in which the person lives, for example:

a rich addict has more access to money, so he is more likely to lose more money and do more damage than a poor addict

It is really wired to our genetic make up? because if it is then maybe parents that are addicted to drugs might have a child that is going to be addicted as well, but that is not the case.


Of course, it can be check, but everything should come from the individual themselves.


Boils down again the individual, so it might be different and there are no "one size fits all approach" here. Maybe seeking professional help is the best idea. Or simply control yourself. But it will take a lot of emotions on someone just to get out of their gambling addiction. But definitely it is doable.

Well, that's interesting. I mostly believed gambling to be an issue that stemmed from the community surrounding the person themselves, at least that's how I entered on gambling, being influenced by my high school friends back then.

If it was fully on the DNA part then no not really. It's the same as blaming a deaf person for being, well, deaf. Seems kinda dumb doesn't it.

It always can be imo, whatever the source of their gambling addiction may be. It's just going to take time and a lot of effort on the players' side.

That requires a completely separate study imo, and not something that users here can actually answer. That requires factual data after all. Though I guess completely separating DNA-induced vs habit-induced gambling can be close to impossible, if they are actually two different factors (or even exist, for that matter).

I am not sure that this will really be because of DNA or genetics. Gambling is an activity, not a disease that may be because of genetics.
But, if this is about the environment, I absolutely agree. People who are living in a gambling environment will be influenced more highly to involve in in gambling, too. Moreover if in family, the father becomes a gambler and lets his children also do gambling in their life, introduce it and also train the children in gambling, this will also influence the children to do gambling in the future (although there may be some exception).
In fact, environment in our native family or even environment around us will really influence people to do gambling.

What if these people are responsible even addicted? Is that wrong? Is that acceptable?

If it's all about hereditary then these type of people already knows the risks of gambling.

It's better to take care of those people who aren't like that instead of focusing our eyes on those people who have already been into gambling for a long or been influenced early because of that inherited thing pointing to gambling.

My parents never gambled a single dime all their lives, and I have never been exposed to gambling in my teenage years yet I still developed the habit to play on online casinos every week when I reached my adulthood. No one around me gambles, nor they have ever thought of gambling. I just got curious one day and started doing it until now. Thankfully I have never been addicted, and I only see gambling as something that helps me kill time.

The environment sure helps influence other people's decision making, though to conclude that gambling habits are passed on to the gene is to an offspring, IMO, a stretch. The parent needs to be extremely addicted to gambling, or gambles very regularly in order for this to happen. And even then it will only account for an extremely small amount of genes being altered, plus gene information are shared when an offspring is developed hence further reducing that extremely small amount into half.

It's a stretch. No external substance involved, just pure dopamine in control, and you get your genes altered?  ???

The environment around is the reason why a person involves in gambling. I never believed in these DNA or genetic things why gamblers become gamblers. Social activity and culture play a big role while these people are growing up. These are by far the most influential reason we can look at.

If these people will be addicted in the future, it does not make sense to point out that it's because of DNA. Is that even possible?

If the person grows up gambling, maybe that's the environment they were being used to. Not because of DNA-related things.

I don't think gambling is a traits that can be passed from one offspring to another, gambling is a game just like other sport which is mainly attracted to the males. Traits that can be passed from one offspring to another are temperament, emotional traits,  the DNA is in charge of it, and gambling is not controlled by DNA.  Gambling lifestyle only becomes serious when their is no self control to make decisions how to go about gambling.

Correct! Same here in my region.
But one thing I noticed about when a woman gambles, she usually have all the vices. Smoking, drinking alcohol, (sometimes drugs), men (to sustain their financial needs)
I know that's some kind of stereotypes when looking a woman who gambles, but most of the time it is the case.
I'm not sure If that also happens in other countries.

All I can say about it is that maybe the others do, but not all.

I have family acquaintances and in their small community, some people love gambling, various types of gambling, card games, cockpits, or lotteries.

Maybe it's because they've been through it and they've seen it in their parents since they were young so they've become like them.

But as they get older and have their mindset they should understand whether it should be avoided especially if it is already harmful.

If it is not true that gambling is inherited, it is probably simply because of the influence of things and people around us such as close friends.

Yes, I do agree that gambling is not that easy to passed to our offspring. It's the environment that should be blame and not their parents. Even if their parents are not gambling, any individual can acquire it through friends and acquaintances and then he becomes a gambling addict. And who's parent in the right of mind would gamble an try to influence their child direct or indirectly? There could be outside influences as I have describe that can make someone gamble, he or she may become addicted or not.

I don't think it's on the DNA, it's probably being nurture or being learnt within the environment you're in. I think it's the external factors that make us to gamble and not because we have been born by a gambler, you can be a gambler even if both of your parents are not or the past generations, so can your offsprings can/can't do the same way.

Then...
I even believe that certain habits of ours may have some hereditary relationship, but the percentage of this must be minimal compared to the family life and friendships that a person acquires from others in their day-to-day.

I also believe that blaming their parents for the addiction is an exaggeration if we consider only the genetic issue, but if the person has a parent or close relative person who is already addicted.... then yes, he can be blamed for your addiction too.

Am not sure if I will go to believe that it can be inherited because it is not an inborn behavior . what I do believe is that gambling can be passed thru buy letting people around us watch as  we gamble or watch us as we deal with our gambling activities .

My parents does not know how to gamble , my father and mother not even know how to play cards but I become a gambler myself in what reason? because our  community has a lots of gamblers and I learn it from them.

Every single person alive is wired to gambling because flight fight response is standard issue for the human psyche and used or still is useful to some extent.  Risk is a normal scenario and response to it is learned more then programmed without choice in DNA, obviously we have bias but thats true for all human behavior I think.    For example men typically take bigger risks more often then women but its not absolutely true thats always the case

Certainly yes! I will believe that such habit can be inherited. When someone's life is is based on gambling,and he noticed that there is nothing he can do about it to stop it,that is the point of addiction,and therefore,we have to trace it down,and narrow it down to his parents or his close relatives,and sees if someone among them was a gambling addict,we might be surprise to see that one of them was an addict,and that is what the person in question have inherited. Things like this can be genetic and it takes the grace of God to be able to escape from it.

Of course. Genetics give a predisposition to the individual develop and follow the same behavior pattern of his ancestor, but it doesn't mean he must act like his ancestor. It's not an imposition or destiny. Moreover, knowing his family has issues with gambling, he must redouble his attention with this matter to not fall for the same mistakes. Isn't that what people do when they know their family have a predisposition for another health issues? So the same must be done regarding gambling.

Yes, regular methods are applicable to addiction cases as a whole. Without any doubts many problem gamblers who treated themselves and got recovered had the 'gambling DNA' with them.

Each case is unique, so it's inaccurate to draw a general rule about it.

First, Gambling is not like a DNA, aside from that gambling is a matter of choice by all individuals who wants to come over to their platform.
For me this is not a genetically kind of habit where you can inherit it to anyone, instead, it can be copy by someone if they decide to become a gamblers.

I totally agree.
In some Asian countries, cultural influences are very closely related to gambling activities (local) this becomes very relevant to the living environment, affects the local area and becomes a hereditary culture including gambling.

There is a saying that the fruit does not fall far from the tree, although that is not entirely true and depends on the person.
and all drug use, gambling, eating, and other compulsive behaviors have a genetic component, but remember that just because Mom or Dad is a gambler doesn't mean your child will get genes that can influence the desire to gamble or things that will harm the child.

Gambling might be hereditary on some cases but not to all.

I've known people from friends and families that is associated to gambling whether it's on games or sports but some of their child are not even interested to do gambling. It also vary of how their parents would introduce them to gambling and how they will incorporate it to them.

1 & 2. DNA or not,it doesn't mean they have to follow those impulses,there are many ways to prevent addiction,just don't expose yourself to gambling as much as possible and it's all good.

3. I don't think it's relevant,because addiction can infect anyone.Will it be worse? It's still depends on the individual self control and once again i think those DNA doesn't affect much.

I think everyone has a predisposition to gambling because all casinos are built on the same principles of psychology. Maybe it's in the DNA, but I think that this genetics is not only responsible for gambling addiction, but also for greed, encouragement, pleasure. So those people who are more prone to these feelings are more likely to be addicted.

I don't think it can be inherited by personal experience.I have started to gamble at an age well over 21,maybe 27-29 as of age and the reason was a friend of mine who told me how to place a bet in sport betting and he told me that we can make a lot of money because we used to watch every single football match of Premier League and Serie A at that time.I was thrilled by this and decided to try,then I am still here gambling but not sport betting anymore rather now I only play slots.

If it were something inherited I would have gambled much earlier in age rather than well above the 21 mark.

I disagree with the idea that problem gambling is inherited, or because of gene. Sure, some people are more risk taker than other, and have more interest in games. However, it doesn't mean if someone has the mentioned genetic makeup, he will develop into a gambling addict. It's a complex interaction between variables, genetic and environment. Saying that I'm addicted to gambling because of gene is just shifting responsibilities.

Disclaimer: my post here is only based on common sense and limited observation.

The opinion of DNA or the influence of genes that inherit the nature of gambling from generation to generation is not entirely true and it is only based on research from several scientists, many other factors that influence it as you explain about the influence of the surrounding environment, low self-control from gambling addiction, those who are far from the family and others. So that opinion is based on the location in my neighborhood and not the general opinion of all circles, because in my opinion if the influence of DNA is then when they are teenagers there are indications of behavior to gamble and they cannot get out of the casino.

Sounds a bit funny,  though you have same point of view with me mate, When you go further into the study of Genetics, it shows that the genes equally has what is called recessive and dominant gene in humans.

The trait that first appears or is visibly expressed in the organism is called the dominant trait. The trait that is present at the gene level but is masked and does not show itself in the organism is called the recessive trait. Dominant and recessive gene (https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/dominant-and-recessive-traits#:~:text=Dominant%20and%20recessive%20traits%20exist,is%20called%20the%20recessive%20trait.)

Does that mean this condition is attributed to why the Male's gene here are mostly the dominant, maybe that's why we have more Males involved in gambling than the rate of Female ones that are into gambling. This keeps me wondering too how this traits is inherited mostly to the Males.

This is a stupid conclusion, and you have won my ignore list. Congratulation!
You shouldn't trust anyone based on who they are. That is the definition of genetic fallacy.
You have your own mind, so use it to think instead of relying everything on the so-called expert.

I agree with you on this statement, gambling is not a DNA thing rather it can be inherited based on the constant knowledge or exposure of any gambling activity by parents to their children. For instants, a father who usually takes his son to go play Casinos or other gambling games, the more they visit there the more he is exposed to becoming like his father unless he sees a good reason not to be involved in gambling and that will probably be the fact that his father wasn't a successful gambler.


In the other hand, a family who takes gambling as a major source of income in the family hence their means of survival, sustanance and investments are all gotten from gambling, they will likely pass their ideas of making money by teaching their children how to gamble. If they get acquainted with the skills of gambling nothing will stop their next generation from being part of the family business.

I've read the same scenario but with psychopaths being involved. I just heard about this now so I decided to take a look at several articles regarding this matter and turns out that there are several studies that proves and back up the claim that gambling might be hereditary most especially the pathological gambling. Genetics really play a role in almost everything that we are. Genes could possibly predetermine what kind of future we will have, but I still believe that despite having a gene that says someone would be like this and the like, we can still change it and we have the freedom to choose the path that we want to take.

Genes might be able to somehow predict, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it will surely happen. It still lies in our very own hands and decision making. In addition, aside from genetics, environmental factor could be the one to influence someone to gamble to. The upbringing of a child is a big deal in impacting their development until they reach their adulthood. Hence, if a child will grow up with parents addicted in gambling, they might think that it is totally normal and okay and probably do it too.

As a matter of fact, there is a biological theory that explains everything. From alcoholism to depression to schizophrenia. I can also say that there's definitely a biological theory for gambling addiction. It brings us back to the nature vs nurture debates. Therefore, as much as there is a theory that may explain the biological basis for gambling addiction, on the other hand, there is a psychological theory.

To answer you question, why should I blame an individual who gets addicted to gambling because it is supposedly wired in his DNA. I'd only blame the individual is he or she plays the victim card. There are lot of people who have the disposition to gamble but they don't. Psychosocial intervention can work for gambling addiction irrespective of the type. It boils down to the gambler. Is he or she willing to get helped?

You do have a point but for me being addicted into gambling is more of a choice or influenced by people in your surrounding and environment. Just like me, I wasn't into gambling before but when I graduated in college that's where it all I started to try. Thankfully, i'm not as addicted as I am compared to online gambling. Gambling addiction is mainly because of one reason and that is someone wanted to earn money in a fast way.

I don't believe in that, I think it's more on an influence by the people that surround us than on the gens. My family is a fan of gambling especially cock fighting but I don't love that kind of gambling, instead, I'm more on sports betting and I'm enjoying it while they have never tried it yet.

Emotions is the number 1 problem when it comes to gambling, if we are easily addicted and we are weak emotionally, that's where the problem will start.

Gambling is certainly not hereditary, but the sensitiveness to certain emotions and traits related to gambling addiction can be true.
For example those who gamble could be more inclined towards experiencing positive emotions (extraverted) - they like being in a casino surrounded by other people and taking risks. People who are lower in neuroticism (sensitivity to negative emotions) will also be more likely to indulge into gambling even after losing a lot as they crave that adrenaline and excitement.

To reply to your questions:

1) Yes, I would blame the individual if he/she becomes addicted. We always have a choice - it has been given to us by nature.
2) You will be amazed of what things can be achieved with dilligent effort and consistence.
3) You are not born with gambling addiction. You pick it up by habit.

I like to believe that it has something to do with your surroundings and your upbringing these two have more impact on your being a gambling addict, not all studies are perfect but what is proven is the environment where we grew up will have an impact on our behavior, yes there are families of doctors but it's not on the genes it's what the examples set by the parents and how their children pick them up.
What if you are an orphan then you just find out that your parents are compulsive gamblers will you change your behavior because it's on you when your upbringing is good.

Gambling can be inherited but the addictive part is a gradual development. If we do a close analysis females are less addicted to gambling even when the inherit this traits than the males reasons been that while this two genders with this traits grow one gets occupied with other activities and seldomly gamble while the other makes it an occupation or a perpetual habit. Gambling addiction is picked and as such it can be checked handled.

I doubt that it can be inherited or it runs in your blood but I believe that you are doing that because you have that kind of environment you are exposed to playing gambling that's why you copied the their habit but then you will not be addicted unless you let yourself to be that kind of person, you have the ability to stop yourself from being addicted and you can manage your gambling habits.

A research cannot be certified as correct except it testable, verifiable and reliable. Like it was stated in the article referred by the author, the findings of these work needs further research to ascertain its reliability and dependability. More studies must be carried-out in different locations using different research techniques to either dispute or support the claims of current findings. For me, there is no behavior that is not inheritable because sometimes I see my children behave exactly the same way I did when I was at there age.    

I am sorry to burst this bubble but there is no gambling gene, gambling is not wired into our DNA. My parents, grand parents and my uncles are not got into gambling. My Dad has never seen a casino from the inside and is against any games that involved money, and still I love gambling. As soon as I turned 18 I visited my first casino even though my parents were strictly against it. In my opinion the interest in gambling comes from friends who have similar interests and not from genetic connections in our body. Also what about the many children who want to be the opposite of their parents? I would expect many children who see their parents gamble to not do it.

LOL that's the first time I have heard someone to say that gambling can be genetic.
I would never believe that because habits can be changed and gambling is just one form of entertainment.
Nobody is born a criminal and similarly nobody is born a gambler. It's just the surrounds that put the thought in the person to start gambling.

Not in my blood I think but I love gambling, well, when I was still young, I can already see my relatives gambling, especially on card games, so I learn when I was a kid and I bring it until I matured. Gambling is really risky but as long as you know how to control yourself, you will be able to enjoy it despite the fact that you lose most of the time.

Admit it or not, most gamblers are losers, that's the reality, but we become more losers if we don't gamble responsibly.

This is very high so if one of your parents is hooked on gambling, some scenarios and companions can get you into gambling and you can easily fall for it because it is inherent in you, parents who have stopped gambling should double their effort so their children will not become addicted to gambling because of the high percentage of them carrying the urge, this is something new many of us here do not know this study.

If anyone wants to succeed or fail in a fast time then gambling is the only way. Gambling can change your position quickly at any time that you can't even imagine. You are more likely to fail if you do not have to be prudent when gambling.

Gambling isn't hereditary but rather habitual wherein our kids could also follow in our footsteps if we allow them. We can't blame our ancestors because gambling is a personal choice and a personal decision. No one forced us to do it and we have the freedom to choose our path. If our parents or family members are into, we could actually change our own paths.

Okay, I am kind of frightened by what you just brought up now. My father was a gambler but I didn't think it will be genetically be inherited.
I thought it was my friends who should be blamed with at why gambling had been my hobby and I still think of it right now. We use to play poker when we were kids so I got used to putting money at every game I would play and that's while I am growing up.
Maybe. It could be inheritance but I still don't think it that way. It could be my fault too by being too curious about it. Some fault from my Dad by letting us see what he is doing.

It's really difficult if they gamble because there are descendants or parents deliberately gamble near their children, these habits will certainly form in the children themselves to grow up in the gambling environment. Such a case will be very difficult to control in the usual way, because the usual way to control gambling comes from oneself. Well, if the case is that the child lives in a strong environment in gambling, then there is no other way to deal with it except with an expert or something like a place where they will be guided to avoid or eliminate the gambling habit they experience.

I never blame someone addicted to gambling because it's in their DNA because I think we actually have a choice to be a gambler or to be someone we want to be. We choose our way of life independent of DNA because we choose for ourselves what we want.

If a person ends up being a gambler, I don't think it will have anything to do with his DNA but it is his choice even if, seeing from his DNA, he has descendants as a gambler.

What method do you mean? Is it a method to overcome gambling addiction or something else?

Gambling addiction is probably worse because he must only think about gambling and how he can have the money to continue gambling. Not even for his life or when he would stop to work on anything else.

It is not enough to inherit a gene to manifest a certain inclination.
in biology the manifestations are always a mix of genotype and phenotype and excluding very rare and very particular cases, only one of the two factors is not enough to create a certain inclination. there is always a mix. E.G you can be an addicted gambler just because you have a lot of friends that play heavily ...

I don't believe its in the gene. Its always about the  influence of environment. When you grow up  along with people who plays cards at home but not betting money, I'm sure you lean how to play but maybe not to gamble. You could be triggered to gamble when you  are inside a casino. Playing cards with family members are fun but when there will be money on the table, its already influencing a person to gamble.

hi,Op;
I am not a player by condition but by conviction, there is always a lot of information on the negative side, a lot of negative documentation, eye I do not mean you (OP) in general to Internet.

There is a study that mentions the index of evil and it is discussed in depth if people are born "bad person" in that sense and given the world we live in, it is good that a gaming gene can be inherited, it is not so bad for society.

So, and in a certain way the point in question is... as it happens with other professions and/or abilities, nothing guarantees that good or bad habits are inherited and consequently, although these genes exist, each individual story is different.

Probably, this could be cause that in some family there are many players. In my one, we're not gambler, I'm the only one that sometimes loves to put some bet (anything of serious), but to my father's family (his brother)

were big gambler, maybe this can explain my sort of passion for gambling. If this is true, hope that my child won't be gambler.

I think it does not have to do with the genes perse, but it has something to do on how the child is brought up with.

If the child, while growing up, was exposed severely to an environment where everyone around him suffers from gambling addiction, chances are that the child would inherit such lifestyle, thus sparking his curiosity. What matters is that, the child is exposed to an environment where learning and curiosity exists. Of course, genes may be a factor but it wholly depends on the environment and lifestyle he/she is brought up with.

I try to explain this to enter the category of motivation. Although gambling is considered bad, motivation also enters a person based on internal and external factors. It could be family and friends. Then it could be that it comes from your own research where you have access to the internet and watch gambling based advertisements so that you are motivated to push yourself to know about gambling.
After that, compare it with the OP's condition about what he felt and experienced. Isn't it not necessarily the desire to gamble that suddenly appears except? there must be a driving factor. Cause and effect here have a great influence on one's decisions.

-Not good to blame someone who is addicted to gambling because it is wired to his DNA, A person's fate can be changed by that person, including addiction.
-Of course they can, it's better now than in the past because we have psychologists who can help relieve the suffering of gamblers, consulting with several methods to control it.
-Yeah, worse addiction.

I am not so sure I agree with the results of the research, I could understand if there were a few genes that could cause compulsive behavior which causes all the different kind of addictions that we see.

However something as specific as a particular gene which regulates our gambling behavior seems to be something awfully specific, especially when we consider that gambling games should be a relatively new invention and as such there should not have been enough time for the evolution to create a gene specific to gambling.

Everything could really be depending on someones decisions on what are the things that they would really be tending to get engaged off and something that do talks about gambling behavior then this is something that

had been acquired and its not really hereditary which i dont really see the relevance for it to be considered to be like that.Even your parents are involved in gambling activity but if you child or
son does have their own will and find out that it isnt something good for you then you would normally be  avoiding it off as much as you could which i could say a very normal thing
for a person to make out decisions basing on what they do know or simply with their self awareness.

Addiction can’t be inherit, its not on the genes and you can have the choice either to gamble or not.
I used to see my parents playing some game cards in our locals, but look at me now I’m not a gambler that much and I only play occasionally so I really think this is still your choice and not because of someones genes. Gambling is something that you can learn because of money, and nothing more.

This is too much to believed already. Gambling-habit is related to DNA?

What's the connection of this? Not all articles you see on the web is legit.


Gamblers are just human regardless of what culture they used to.

It's obvious that any forms of gambling-related checking or what you are trying to point out are also applied to all people. I don't see any reason why should they be exclude on the usual checking methods.


Same as answer as above. They are also human therefore addiction will depend on how far they will managed it along the way.

As much as possible it's best to avoid blaming other gamblers for their addiction since it wouldn't help their situation and it's only going to bring down their morale. Then again even if it didn't come from their DNA it's still their fault for not being able to control their problem.

There are different ways to handle someone's gambling addiction so it's always possible as long as the gambler will put in some effort as well.

I doubt it'll be worse because one's addiction level still depends on how long they've started doing it.

I don’t blame our forefathers for our gambling addiction.
I mean we started gambling when we needed money at some point of time.
Seeing the good returns in such a small amount of time, made all of us addicted towards the gambling.
I would never blame the hereditary for this, as this is just an excuse to calm down our brain and heart.
I don’t agree with the OP, as gambling addiction is not passed by genes specifically.
Let’s see what other people have thoughts on this.

I haven't seen this happen in reality around my locality. Most of the people I saw gambling were around the age of 40. The younger generation is much into sports betting. This way there is not much of inherited gambling. Maybe in the future we'll come to know when our kids grow up. Gambling as a way to make money is the prime reason that keeps people into gambling. Apart from this, most of the people who are retired and want to spend their days in an enjoyable way are into gambling.

Based on the highlight of that article it's not 100% that a gambler will have a son who will be a gambler too, there are circumstances that will trigger this, I think it also applies to people whose parent is not into gambling but with behavior that will likely fall to gambling, surrounding and upbringing has something to do with how a gambler turns into an addiction.

Gambling for me is not just something you can only do in casino. It is a part of our daily life. Don't we gamble when making difficult choices? As long as we risk something, I consider that as gambling.

My grandfather and father often gamble in a real casino, I don't understand how those games work like blackjack or baccarat. But when it comes to me, I do like risk taking in real life. Like what I did last 2020 on my job that time. I can't handle the workload anymore so I gambled to resign from it without any plans after that. Few months after, I got a job again that have a healthy environment and doesn't compromise my health. There are also many things I can't remember that I did and considered them as a gamble.

You have jumped to conclusions. The article itself states:


So we have another study that points to conclusions that we can by no means take for granted. Pubmed is full of studies that draw opposite conclusions, and in all cases the scientific method has been followed.

I doubt very much that there is a gene that makes you addicted to gambling. Some people are genetically more prone to addiction than others, yes, but fundamentally it is the environment, education and life circumstances that have the greatest influence.

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The case is same here that males are comparatively more addicted to gambling and you would find less percentage of women gambling here but they do and some of them might be addicted to it also but the percentage is low for them.

Becoming gambling addicted is really risky and must be avoided at ant cost as have seen some people losing their lives due to it and distrubing their mental health also.

Gambling can be genetic and could also be more concentrated on the male than on the female. A good observation there, but then, whenever there is a problem, there's always a solution. Take an instance of say a thief; although it is a family thingy, there will always be a different one who decides to play by the books.
 A gambler can become an addict only when he has negative influences around and has no self control. In as much as it is stuck to your DNA, it can be fixed only if the gambler realizes he has a problem.

Gambling can be hereditary (not because of the genes) but because you're exposed to a family with a gambling habit. If you grow up in surroundings seeing gambling as normal each day, its likely you'll follow their footsteps.

But if we're old enough to think whats right and wrong, then we already have an option. Its in our own will if we want to be a gambler or not.

Being a gambler is a choice, if your parents are a gamblers it doesnt mean your fate will be the same as them too. You're the driver of your life and that depends on what path you want to take.

No, I will not, it's like prejudging a person for something he has not done yet, you become addicted to gambling because of having a weak character

Yes it can be done and it's advisable for everybody to always check yourself if you are becoming addicted to gambling if you are putting hours and too much money to gamble, it always gamble money that you can afford to lose


I don't see the difference there's no level in being a compulsive gambler, all I know is you are at your worse if you are gambling too much and you cannot stop yourself from playing until you are exhausted.

Gambling habits doesn't really pass from the gene of parents to children, most children are easily influenced by the hobbies of their parents. Normally most male just have interest in gambling because of the money it brings .

There is definitely some influence on the Gambling either be it moderate or sevear but please do remember that to make these things quite big the influence does need varied environmental factors, any genetic trait needs environmental factors to express itself, therefore if your parents are gamblers and you grew up to think that it was a normal thing then chances are, you would be a Gambler as well.

Gambling is further expressed in certain conditions like OCD, ADHD so the genetic influence can be indirect as well, which does mean that you can get therapy, you can get treatment as well, it's not that weirdly organized in your DNA. I do think the environmental factors are much more concerning than the genetic ones.

This is a difficult question, and the answer is likely to be different in each unique case. It is clear that all people have a hereditary predisposition to something and a social one (if their environment where they grow up is involved in something they will be involved in it). But still, if a person reaches some minimal level of intellectual development and if it is not too late, then he can get rid of bad habits/predispositions and manage his life himself.

These days gambling have turned to be a part of one's hobby. This is the reason we can see majority of common people who are little knowledged about technology are into gambling. Another important reason for the increased participation into gambling by the present generation is through the advertisement broadcast on the television. This doesn't have anything with the inheritance.

I agree with your first reason that technology in this generation is one of the reasons why gambling is becoming a hobby, the internet and smartphones are available to everyone who can find information can be provided, just like visiting websites and installing mobile gambling-related games and applications. But an advertisement that can be broadcast on television is vague because as far as I know, there are laws that prohibit it. It just depends on the policy of the country's ministry.

I see that in the most country advertising of gambling is illegal, also, another tragedy is that it's so easy to access in gambling online today, you need only a smartphone as you said. The part that worries me more is that

casino that doesn't apply KYC can let allow to kid under18 to submit their bets without any issue, and this is really a bad thing, from this part casino should raise their efforts to avoid it.

I would say its probably got less to do with inherited gambling and more with a genetic disposition to hormonal disbalances in the brain. And the same goes with drug addiction, alcohol addiction, nicotine addiction, food addiction and any sort of addiction in which the brain is stimulated with dopamine/seratonin/Etc.

So basically if your dopamine recepters did not develop as expected for a healthy human, then obviously there will be problems. These types of people should stay away from anything that can be addictive. Especially gambling.

Hard to do, seeing as many things in this world can create an addiction....

They might easily influence by their parent's behavior but when they get old they have their own choice whether they continue to mimic their parent's hobbies or not. But most of the time when they get addicted to certain hobbies whether good or bad, it's really hard to resist avoiding it and not doing it. People need to completely change their environments and they also need to stop accompanying people who used to influence them to gamble or do things that are not good. That's why it's really good to consider moving from the usual place where the bad habits are getting triggered to avoid returning back to the things you get addicted to.

According to my perception i don’t think it’s anything genetic. Suppose, gambling is legalized in a family that means someone in the particular family can gamble freely, then it is very simple for any child born in that family to grow up and become addicted to gambling. There are many people whose parents or family members do not gamble but one of the persons of that family become addicted to gambling. So I would never call it inheritance. I would blame it only on his environment where gambling is used normally.

Gambling isn't hereditary but we can influence our family members especially if gambling is already part of our daily routine. For example, a father who is into cock fighting and will always ask his son to feed his roosters, I'm sure that the father could influence his son to gamble because of their lifestyle. However, a son can have a choice of whether to follow in his father's footsteps or not. Gambling doesn't run in the blood.

yes, I mean, just because it can be passed down through genes does not mean you would become a gambling addict. becoming addicted to gambling(or to anything) would most likely take time even if you have a higher chance of becoming addicted because of your gene.

pretty sure it can. I don't really see any reason why it wouldn't work for them.

I don't know.

Maybe it was because of someone's curiosity that made him sink into gambling even deeper that it looked like it was hereditary when it wasn't. But if a father who likes to gamble shows his gambling activity, his son can be curious and maybe he will ask his friends what his father is doing. Sooner or later, he will try to find out more, which can lead him to start gambling. No one knows if the father and son played gambling because each of them hid their activities. But there is also someone who likes to gamble even though neither father nor other family members play gambling. So gambling is not necessarily because of hereditary.

Yes, because inheritance occurs when parents give something whatever it is to children with the message conveyed, but gambling is different. They or their parents play gambling, then the children see and then imitate the gambling activity itself, which means that there is no inheritance whatsoever and there is no genetic gambling. This case is purely an activity that occurs in the surrounding environment so that children do it too, and therefore I agree that gambling that grows in a family is not inherited and also not genetic.

I also don't believe with the inheritance factor to be addicted in gambling. It is more on the environment where you grew up. Because I have seen a lot of people who hate gambling because their parents are gamblers. So they want to change their lives for the better and don't want to follow the footsteps of their parents. So for me, it depends on the person himself. It is not about genetic.

however many experts argue that genetic factors can greatly influence a person to become an addict, any addict including gambling.  although what you say can be justified. a person who has inherited the gambler's gene can also refuse not to gamble this is normal and there are many reasons one of the examples you have mentioned. environment, education, intellectuals also play an important role. back on the topic of this thread, I don't think this conclusion is absolute.

I think it's not specifically gambling that is inherited but it's about the mentality or how they think because being smart/intelligent can also be inherited but it's 100 percent true that if you live or grow in place where gambling is rampant, you will adopt a gambler's habit.

• It was the individual that will question himself on why he became an addict and when he found out that it can be hereditary he will blame his parents or their ancestors. For us, it's wrong to put a blame on someone else without knowing the real story first.
• Why not? It might be hereditary but there are hereditary conditions that are being cured permanently by applying the known methods that exist today.
• It can be but it's also possible for them to rework their mentality to not become an addicted gambler.

Well we cannot argue in science the finding is not familiar to many of us, but it's good prevention for parents who were once hooked on gambling, it will not harm us if we take these findings and I agree that surroundings and role models are the easiest path to becoming a gambling addict but the findings is another option for people to look on why people become addicted to gambling.

If parents can explain the dangers of gambling to their children and don't show that their parents are gamblers in front of their children, perhaps their children will not try to approach gambling. But unfortunately, many parents show it in front of their children and even openly play dice gambling at home. This triggers their children's curiosity to try to play with their friends and in the end, they keep playing until they are adults. And this is what makes many adult children continue to play gambling and invite their friends from the same environment.

Although genetic inheritance which is a daily habit or trait carried out by his father, not all children are dominant to his father, his mother also inherits genes much better than his father, Although his father was a gambling addict, a small percentage of him inherited the traits, intelligence and habits of his father, more to the character of his mother.

If his mother was a gambling addict, that was more dangerous.

Of course there are some cases, there is a saying that 'a coconut doesn't fall far from the stem' which means, there are some children whose father's genes tend to be almost 99% of their father's, if his father is a gambling addict, Surely the child has the same nature and behavior as his father, who must be blamed, of course, the child's father, things like this will certainly cause big problems for the mentality of the child himself, the child's addiction to gambling is greater than that of his father and anyone else.

But in cases such as genetics inherited by both parents, the intelligence of the child affects the mother's chromosome 2x more intelligently than the father's, although the father of a child gambling addict can think of the best for himself, not many cases of gambling are based on genetic inheritance, which is worse promiscuity.

The question is whether parents want  their child is involved in gambling or do excessive gambling? I think that gambling is such a game that even though parents play it themselves, they do not want their children to inherit this habit. However, if you play openly then children will watch you gamble and they will develop an interest in this. If you want that your children do not inherit this gambling habit, you should not gamble in front of your children.

They can't for this kind of experience only be understood personally and it really hard for them to digest it in their minds without putting them in the same situation as to how gambling works. But as a concerned parent, you could always try the low-risk advice for your children and you can try safe methods to educate them and to make them understand how will it become a threat in their adulthood in they became addicted to it in their early life.

The medical professional had already confirmed this with their study.  So how can we refute their findings?  Ever heard the phrase, "runs in their blood"?  Well, we heard this when one child did the same thing that the father did.  So basically if the father is a gambler there is a tendency for his child to be a gambler too even though this kid never saw his father in an actual gambling session.  



Mind over body, if there is a will there is a way.

I think parents don't want their children to be involved in gambling, let alone inherit it. This is really ironic if there is something like that, but what I experienced I never showed my gambling game in front of the children because they can't know I'm afraid they will be involved later and become addicted.

My gambling game has never been opened by anyone, let them know for themselves when they grow up, but if they are still children, of course it is still under the supervision of their parents, I emphasize that I do not want to inherit it. It is too risky if I tell my children how my gambling journey was.

It's not that common to follow in your father's footsteps. Out of my friends literally none is in the same trade as their fathers. They did not finish the same schools, they are interested in different subjects and work in different areas. Like I have 3 friends whose fathers used to be construction workers. 1 was a designer, one was an architect and one was a builder and their sons are in IT, and one works in the TSA.

When it comes to habits, I know a number of people whose parents smoked and they don't smoke.

Whether you do what your parents did is a random thing that depends on your character, life choices, the bond with your parents and many more.

I don't think that a father who gamble would want their kids to be a gamblor when they grow up. A addicted drinker also would not want their kids  to be an alcohol addict - These are not inherited traits. My father was a chain smoker and my brother hated it - and he dont smoke at all. My father was a gambler and my sibling don't like gambling because of the fights they have seen among our parents.

Biologically, gambling is not a trait. Even if I have a deep passion for it, that doesn't mean my children will share it. It would be absurd to argue that drinking is a trait that can be passed down from parent to child, gambling is something you can easily give up, and if you quit before your kid is born, he or she won't know anything about your relationship and gambling. unfortunately, society and environmental factors are the primary problems with underage gambling today.

Children are motivated by money, and they pick up lessons quickly from what they observe. Since gambling often culminates in big wins for players, children may want to go into it if they are not properly supervised.  Every parent has a duty to prevent their kids from gambling until they are old enough to take responsibility for their own decisions and also restrict them, where necessary.

As far as I know alcoholism can be transmitted on a genetic level as this disease affects genes, destroying them. You can easily notice it in families which have an alcoholic father in the head of the family and live in poverty. This is unlikely to happen with gambling as it only affects a person's psychology. So if you are into gambling it does not mean that your children will have the same hobbies. 

I wouldn't be so sure about that sir. If you're a gambler you can also inspire your child, and if him/her likes it, they will start to gamble like you, and this should be avoided, like the smoke, many people start to smoke in

young age because of their parents (they see it, they see the way that they moved hands while smokin ecc.).

I can attest to this as my father was also a gambler, that made his son a gambler too. But being an addict to gambling, i think its more on the loss of individual's control, and not because it flows on the genes. And eventually, addiction leads into something more dangerous that can certainly ruin the whole personality of the gambler. That is why we should never gamble for profits, but only for entertainment purposes. 

Gambling cannot be genetic, sometimes a few traits are not liked by offsprings and they don't follow their parents.
Like alcohol, gambling, smoking, drugs and sloth. Excess of everything is bad and the results are very devastating. So a balance is important.

What a load of rubbish, nothing is "wired" to someones DNA. It is a learned behavior and picked up from the environmental setting someone grows up in. It is not a gene, but unfortunately whoever the guardian is to a child can have a huge impact on their development as a person. If you live around someone who smokes a lot, you're much more likely to pick up this habit. If you're around someone who flaunts that they are betting money on whatever, it's not as bad as smoking which has an addictive chemical property, you might be influenced into thinking it is less dangerous. Parent's and guardians have a massive responsibility to teach their children good behavior and it is very easy to pass along bad habits without even realizing.

Totally not relevant right? It isnt really that connected on someones DNA on where you do say that it could be passed into your children or sons/daughters because even people or parent would really be
involved into gambling but doesnt mean that it would really be definitely be on the same on where their children would be doing.It cant be passed but it would really be influencing those kids
if you wont guide them on the proper way and telling them about the risk of doing gambling.It do matters on parenting if you are really tending not for your children to follow on the same steps
you have done.It all matters about educating them about the risk but if you do missed it out then dont get surprised about possible things to happen ahead.

Gambling is not in the DNA - it's the lifestyle which make a person a gamblor. But saying that gambling is transferred through genes is totally irrelevant.
And most of the time the kids don't follow the footprints of the gamblor father. But whatever it is not transferred through DNA

Medical studies and research said so, even if we disagree, we don't have valid proof to refute their statement.  All we have is just some personal experience and personal belief that makes it a bit biased.
I myself disagree with it but have no valid proof that it does not exist.  So I won't bother about gambling being inherited or not.  What matters is how to cope with it to avoid gambling addiction.  Prevention is always better than cure, assuming it does exist, I wanted to know how to prevent this kind of situation from developing a gambling addiction.

This is what im saying which its not really that right to believe that it could be passed through DNA and it all matters on the behavior which ive seen some who do have gambler parents but
their children is totally opposite of it whether they had been told or been prohibited or they are totally making decisions on their own on not to deal with gambling because its not their
line of interest which it is mostly the case.Its a wrong belief i would say and there's no prove about such manner that it could really be passed on that way
but it would be more accurate that it could really be that influential whenever they do see someone who do play actively.

exactly what I thought when I saw his post, if it's given to sons and daughters equally why are the majority of gamblers males and not females ?! I'm not a biologist but maybe it's because men take more risk, it has to do with other things that are different from men and women, because men are more likely to take risks while most women prefer safe options.

Every person is different, and you just have to play with the cards you're dealt with.

It's still 100% responsibility of every person.

Every person gets to choose what they will do with their 24 hours every day.

It's the same with addiction to anything else.

It's the same with how fit or fat the person becomes.

It's the same with how educated or uneducated the person becomes.

It's the same with building a successful or unsuccessful life.

Everyone can make up any number of excuses that are external, but at the end of the day, everyone is responsible of themselves. And they get to live the life they design.

I think, in general, it's harder for people to stop their addiction when it's genetic. Most of the time, they will always come back to what makes them happy or what makes them feel fulfilled or something. It will be hard to overcome that, but that's just how you will know how strong the person is with willpower.

Comparing them to someone who has just gotten into the habit it's doing it is challenging. I think there's no significant difference.

That's right and I agree with what you said. Inheritance is different from Influential. In short,
gambling is a kind of choice whether you want to be a gambler or not, even inheritance is also
a choice to whom you want to transfer it.


If the person is totally addicted into gambling, that means Greediness is controlling His/Her character as a gambler.
However, side from its hard to overcome it, it is something like that you need to consult a doctor to find out to resolve
this problems as well.

exactly as you said, women prefer safe options and this is reinforced by many theses from experts. Not only for gambling, the behaviors inherited from our ancestors pass on the genes to the next generation including any addiction. and it's true that anything in excess is not good especially for gambling. as others have said just play for fun with money you can afford to lose.

Playing the "blame game" isn't a constructive approach that would help in solving the problem. Trying to help a person is better than blaming him/her or his/her possible DNA inheritance.
I don't think that gambling addiction is genetically inherited. What gets genetically inherited is the ability to fall into different kinds of addictions, because the brain is craving different hormones like dopamine. Those hormones have lower production in some people, who have a particular genetic code.
What do you mean by "regular methods"? We should ask a psychic doctor, who is an expert in dealing with gambling addictions.
This topic requires expertise that we don't have.

Women are inherently less risk averse. 

Women are the keepers of the most valuable and well-established useful qualities necessary for the survival of the human race. 

Men are by nature explorers and experimenters.  There are many morons among men, but also many geniuses.  In essence, the male is an experimental laboratory for testing various life strategies that may be useful for the survival of the human population. 

The propensity to gamble and risk, as a quality of character, can also be a useful quality in terms of evolution.

Yeah . like my stand in second page this cannot be inherited instead this can be passed by teaching them directly or indirectly , meaning that those people who thought being inherit the gambling mostly learn from them , sometimes when seeing them plays or hearing them talking about gambling and this influenced them to try or pursue the gambling world.

The value of helping a person instead of blaming that genes, if that is possible, is more important.

If it's for real that the DNA of the gambler can be genetically transfer the only thing that can be done is to help the person and
not to let him feel that it's a fault that he falls into this addiction.

Like what you said, it's something that expert doctors can treat and with them guiding the person, it's more possible
to treat and save a person's future.

But even though we inherit the gambler gene from our ancestors, if we have a strong desire to stay away from gambling, I don't think we will be affected by the temptation and we can even stay away from it.
Besides, we will not become addicted because we already have good self-control in playing gambling so we know how to treat gambling properly and well.
And if we play gambling, we will only have fun with enough money and can stop if we feel we have had enough fun.

I agree, that righteous virtue and strong willpower can counter the gene defect of being easily attracted to gambling. 


I bet this kind of scenario needs a lot of training and self-control practice. Aside from that, the person should be guided at a very young age so that parents can easily mindset their children that gambling if not controlled can do them no good.

I believe that even if a person has a genetic predisposition to gambling, it is not a particular problem because a person can control his actions and refrain from negative experiences.

In my opinion we choose our own destiny and what to do in life. If a gambler blames his losses on his genes, most likely he is afraid to admit his mistakes and tries to blame someone else for his mistakes.

Make sense, but IMO it's not really on the genes. It is when a child witnesses how their parents gambles regularly like it's a normal thing for them that is a part of their daily grind. It will instill in their young minds and will eventually develop into a habit and worse gambling addiction.
So, yeah it is us who chooses our fate on whether or not we engage into gambling excessively.

I also have the same stand on this, it is a matter of how we learn gambling from our elders ,  in this we inherit the gambling by them teaching us how to gamble and not in the bloodline ,
this is not something we can inherit in terms of passing thru generation without our consent .
so maybe it happens because of the elders not concern if we will be a gambler also like them or not , so lets use this as lesson for our youngsters not to become in our kind.

I would not say that. In fact everything we do is controlled by the actions of the chemicals in our brain. The illusion of control is completely false and arbitrary. So whenever I hear of addiction, primarily gambling addiction, to stay on topic, I do not believe that the mentioned gambler can control his actions and refrain from negative experiences as much as some people believe that he can.

As I said in a previous post, its all really boiled down to brain chemicals and brain dysfunctions which, if you are unlucky, result in lifetime gambling addictions which do not go away with simple self help or "strict self discipline".

So saying we choose our own destiny is kind of a trap. People who need help get ignored because others perceive it as "their own fault" even though its not really.

Maybe there is no difference because such an addiction is in everyone's DNA. Some have a stronger predisposition, others a weaker one, but the principle behind gambling is the same for every person. It's like the taste buds on your tongue. Gambling affects the same areas of the brain. It's just that not all people engage in gambling. But research shows roughly the same pattern of pathology in addicts.

This is true for the majority of gamblers, they can control their own actions and know when to stop. The problem is however when you become addicted to gambling and lose control of your own actions. It's very hard to imagine such a thing for people who have never experienced or watched an addict. For an alcoholic the rational thing would be to stop drinking, or for a drug addict to buy drugs in the first place. But the brain creates such a strong desire that they can't do anything against it. I am not saying that there is no blame for people with an addiction, it's not the result of a bad gene, they should have been more responsible in the beginning. Once the addiction becomes too strong it's almost impossible to fight it alone, professional help is needed to get the life back in order.

If one person get addicted to a gambling and make a good profits if he got his/her luck then for sure he will pass to his/her new generation he will teach his/her grandson on how to play in that game or where to put their bet. In a game like boxing, basketball or any sports there's a big chance of the family that they will involve in a gambling if sports will come because we all know that sports is one of the best way of gambling.

Of course, almost every child unconsciously copies the behavior of his parents, but a child can become addicted to gambling even if his parents never gambled. My experience is a perfect example of this - I never saw my parents gambling, but that didn't stop me from encountering street gambling as a teenager and becoming interested in it with my peers.

So I dig further and I learnt that genes can be modify and since alcohol is a combination of different chemicals if it is abused with time, it can affect the offspring, so I take back my previous example as a case study with heredity but gambling hereditary says otherwise. Although, it can be transferred from parent to children but the percentage is quite low and again, if the child stays with the addicted parents is likely to happen than when they are taken away from them. Literally, if an addicted gambler gives birth to a child and its been taken care of by another caring parent, the chance of the child becoming a gambler will be very low.

My parents never gambled. I grew up in a conservative household. I don't even know how to play Solitaire up until I finished college. The people around me are upstanding citizens that never got involved in the gambling industry, yet I still managed to find my way into gambling although I was never the problematic one. Environment plays a lot in the development of children and how they act in the society. But sometimes there are outliers wherein they never got introduced to something, they just managed to learn it.


Alcoholism leads to several mild effects on gene expression. It doesn't completely modify the genes; it only affects how your gene is read by your body and those are two entirely different things. Say, a gene XYZ is supposed to create a protein, ABC. Suppose the person who has this XYZ gene is constantly exposed to alcohol and cigarette smoke. Your body will then conform to these new substances and introduce subtle changes. What your body transcribes as ABC will now be transcribed as ACB. Extremely subtle, but depending on the gene, can be very dangerous.

Good argument there, but the brain is always given more than one option and it is for the brain to decide which path to go.  We cannot deny that when we are in front of a game, our brain process whether we start playing or ignore it and do other stuff. It is our own to decide which one to go to.  But if we say your argument is absolute, then all of us will have the same result since you already nullified the option to choose our actions.
Another example is this post I am making, I am hesitant to reply to your argument but still, I decided to.  So either, I have the option to choose and I chose to reply.  The same thing with gambling, playing, or ignoring depends on whatever we decided.  BTW, if gambling addiction can't be controlled then we will be seeing all gambling addicts lose their way which isn't true because there are people who are able to manage their gambling addiction if not being cured.  I think the same thing with people who "genetically" inherited their gambling passion.  They have the option to pursue it or not.

That's not a good thing to educate and pass on the addiction to your kids.

Comparing passing on of addiction to any sports is absurd IMO. It's completely different and they're far from being compared since sports is a better habit than being addicted.

But, we don't know if there really are parents and relatives that do pass on their addictions to their little ones. That's actually no good if they've done that.

Totally dumb if you do ask me on who the hell would really be tending to pass out addiction into their children if you do know that addiction could cause that financial problem?
What type or kind of parent are you if you do really have that kind of consideration on passing that shit into your children?
You would really be minding off for them about best things for them and not to those things which could potentially put their in harm.
Gambling could be gain through behavior and surroundings but it cant really be passed through DNA and i dont know on where they do get that idea.

I was going to argue a lot on this as I don't agree that gambling can be genetically transferred but the study don't exactly claim that it is too. Having no specific gene for gambling simply notifies the study! Gambling is a behavioural change and this is highly influenced by our environment. Genes are traits for certain characters and depending on which one that becomes dominant on the locci of a homologous, they become expressed. Nothing ouiltosde of a gene can be transferred and not having gambling behaviour associated with a particular gene simply means, its not hereditary.

It's a behavioural change as children learns to mimic and adapt to whatever behaviour they see common around them. The study as in OP confirms that as samples were behavioural examination without conducting any experiments on genes for this behaviour.

I don't know.

He just said that.

Just because someone made money from gambling and despite being addicted, he thinks that it's okay to pass on that addiction and let it be inherited by their grandsons or sons.

It's really an off and odd comparison. Maybe there's a better explanation on that matter but for me, I don't see anything clear with it and it shouldn't be done.

Even though I agree with you that our genes do not completely write our destiny, we should not understimate the impact they can have if we do notpay attention to them or if we are not aware of them, like most of the cases.

Of course we have to admit that there are genetic traits that are easier to identify than others, if a person's grandfather and father both suffered from diabetes during their adulthood, one can expect the person to have a high chance to go through it as well. In the case gambling as a genetic affinity, it would not be so obvious. In the end, the important thing about a gambling problem is to find support and help to overcome it, whether genetic or not.  

Shouldnt really be done but instead we should do our best on not letting our sons and daughters on touching up gambling since we do know on what are the things that they could possibly experience which
isnt really that good because not all does have that good control when it comes to emotion when dealing with gambling. Anything or do talk about activities cant really be passed through genes.
Its not clear since its not totally relevant nor connected at all and just like on what others been saying which is actually true and on point.

Well. This argument is hard pill to swallow. I know this. But I think being person who loves risks may pass from genes I think. Some people are always living in relaxed manner. For generations they never take risks and work at mediocre jobs etc. But some people love adrenaline, some people love to gamble away their money. Some feel stressed but some enjoy risks and gambling. Its possible.

When a parent always gives the right guidance to the child so that no one in his or her family becomes addicted to gambling, it can be said that the outcome will be positive. But if it doesn’t guide them correctly, also make sure that it influences negatively on the people around him which shouldn’t happen.

i have gambling ancestry from my father.
before my father stopped gambling, he was a gambling addict who spent almost every day just playing on gambling sites. but the great thing about my father even though he is a gambling addict, he can stop gambling when he is old. and now the next generation is me who continues my father's gambling addiction. but even though i'm a gambling addict, i think this gambling is just for fun to fill my spare time while off work. and i also don't spend as much time as my dad who gambles every day and every time. because on the other hand i also work in the real world for daily needs.

That might be the real thing than the gambling habit being passed on. I have seen the same people when I was a team leader back then. Not in gambling but in jobs they take. They are willing to take job resignation even though there's no assurance of the next job yet. That's a lot of risk they are taking and I guess it's a hereditary thing.
Because on my side I cannot do that unless I am secured and accepted on a new job. I may have took a little risk on some parts of my decision but not going as far as that.

Gambling which is a bad addiction. It never spreads through DNA. This is a social problem. It may be that someone in a family is addicted to gambling, and seeing him there, another member of the family may become involved in gambling. Someone can involve in gamble by his gambler friend. And if someone gambles for entertainment, gambling can become an additional addiction.

Gambling can only spread when you tell other people how good it is to be a gambler and you have to know that you invite people so that it doesn't mean that they will get profits so you have to be careful and don't let your friendship be destroyed because of gambling.

I don't agree with you. Maybe you are governed by chemical reactions and I can control my desires, decisions, and money. I can limit myself to things I want, but because I can think rationally and understand what is best for me I very often refuse those things.

In my opinion, everything is much simpler. An irresponsible person will always find an extraneous reason to justify his behavior to some, it's chemical processes, brain dysfunctions, etc. but really the problem is irresponsibility to oneself and society.

The ones that do though,the ones that take risks and gamble away their money,by doing so they are also throwing away their relaxed manner of living and that is a huge loss in my opinion,so sure inherited genes are possible but why awaken them when they are in a deep sleep,and this awakening can do a lot of harm as we have seen many examples.

A lot of people who love adrenaline go to the casino,offline or online and they play there feeling a lot of emotions while gambling but in the end the only emotion they will feel is regret,rage and sadness.This is for the majority while a minority can walk away with a huge jackpot.I would rather keep these genes sleeping rather than awakening them and put my relaxed lifestyle at risk.

We cannot blame a person for having a genetic predisposition to gambling. However, if the addict is not trying to distance himself from gambling, we can blame him if he does not make an effort to get rid of the addiction. Our country, city, living conditions, climate can all be things that encourage us to gamble. We must not forget to strengthen our own will. Gambling should be viewed as a means of entertainment. We should stop gambling in every stressful moment. It is a pity to have a gambling addict in the family. Children imitate their parents. If we want to get rid of this situation and leave a clean future for our generations, we can try to taste different tastes of life.

The most important thing is for parents not to gamble near their child or who can be seen by the child because even, when parents do not give an example of gambling at all but in life over time a child will continue to gamble because it is influenced by friends and the surrounding environment and not from parents. In this case it proves that gambling itself will continue to grow even without having to be exemplified by parents, moreover if parents give an example, then of course a child will never be able to avoid it.

Their environment really contribute on what child can take in future since if they gamble and their children see it for sure they will take this as normal activities which they can join. And if their parents will not care if they see their children's already starting to gamble then maybe we can see them grow as a hardcore gambler in future. So at early stage on their lives parents should open up this kind of discussion and let their children aware on this then tell the risk about engaging on this activities since early education can save them to get away on addiction.

But then just like what one of the replies stated here, no matter how parents hide their gambling activity from their children or forbid their child to gamble, these kids when growing up will find gambling in its own way.  So I think it isn't the best approach to prevent kids from gambling without explaining why they should avoid it.  The reason should be explained profoundly so that kids can understand it very much.  So in a time when these kids encounter and get involved in gambling activities, they have the knowledge of why they need to control their gambling activities.

This kind of deep knowledge will be beneficial to those who have a tendency to indulge themselves in pleasure or inherited gambling traits because their rational thinking will possibly counter anything that might lead them to gambling addiction.

At last someone gets to understand. It's more of a social problem and it's very difficult these days for one not to try there lucks with gambling following the many advertisements that goes on these days. Viewing a show on your TV screen, the next advert your most likely to see is how somebuser have made off with an easy win off some prediction on a gambling site ormaybe you've got a neighbour, a friend, sibling, parent or so that does a lot of gambling and at times is met with some wins. Justblike that you feel like trying your stars and gradually builds an addiction towards gambling. It's just the way it is, no inheritance involved.

I think that there is a fundamental difference - in one case, you can correct the habit (behavior pattern) simply by abstaining and "forgetting" about the addiction, in the other case, no matter what you do, the "addiction" remains at the genetic level and this must be controlled all your life in order to avoid it. However, I have big doubts about the fact that there is some kind of genetic predisposition to gambling addiction.

Definitely right because after all, we have different environments and some acquire traits that are close to gambling and eventually they developed it to be more exactly the same as gambling and just one move and they find themselves playing casinos or any other games that involve betting. They cannot know for themselves that they are already addicted to it until they lose some big money and when they do, they will have some idea and depends on whether they want to stop it or not because addiction cannot be cured just by knowing you have it, you need to be patient and to be motivated to stop it from avoiding the things that triggered your addiction.

I also have doubts in this fact. But I don't deny, children have parental traits. In this case that fact must be taken into. In a nutshell, generation after generation has been inherited so far, so why gamble shouldn't on the list?
Why not, if needed, can be fixed with psychologist therapy. Although it is inherited, I don't think it's a big hard thing that can't be changed.
Everything has a limit and once this limit is crossed it can never bring good thing rather than worse. Now you call it habit or addiction. And in this case gambling addiction or being a habit are both worse things

This is one of the most unusual phenomena in analytical psychology, and there are many indications of inherited behaviors.
I live in a city known by the expanding growth of gambling activities before the advent of the internet and modern games, and everyone notices some of the families, many of whose members are famous as gamblers since their father inherited it as a behavior from their grandfather.
The problem is that it's not possible, until now, to acknowledge the seriousness of such studies because not everyone who has one of his fathers was a gambler will also be a gambler.
We also note the lack of this among women, meaning that the phenomenon is monitored and analyzed in men only, which makes coming up with a reliable result very difficult and will remain within the field of Speculation on the max.

I agree.

With our best capability, we shouldn't let them go near gambling despite we're gamblers because we understand what will be the bad effects to them.

We're not restricting them to gamble but it should be done at the right age and when they can support themselves and not with our pockets.

The same if we are genetically skinny or fat, no matter what exercise and changing our eating habits we do, our body will still remain skinny or fat. While there are some cases where they successfully change their body but the effort that they put is too much and if they will stop trying, they will quickly go back again on their original form.

The same thing can be experienced if we are genetically addicted to gambling. It sucks that we are built on that way without even trying to while to some people they became addicted because they keeps on gambling although it can be much easier for them to quit it since it was not genetically inherited to them.

Genetically or some words that do connects out with genetics is something really off or not really relevant if we do talk about passing something into your children which its obviously a behavior not really

a part of genes or something thats why i dont really see the connection in between.IF we do make out some comparison in between physical structure attainment and behavior its totally a different story.
I dont know on why people do really been talking about inheriting gambling behavior considering that this is something which cant really be obtained through genes.
So its totally non sense if you do ask me.

If the parent are too exposed, there’s a tendency for their children to follow the foot steps of their parents and if they are a gambling addict, most probably their children can also be a gambler but that is not because of the genes being inherit, I guess its more of a choice. Gambler can control himself, I don’t think this is from a genes of your parents because my father is a gambler, but we are not. Let’s not think this way, and blame no one with regards to our gambling decision, again its always our choice.

It seems that it is in the DNA and that it can pass more easily to the children. It depends on how much the child is exposed to gambling. Men have a much higher chance of a gambling addiction than women, because of the different area of interest. That's not to say that women aren't prone to addiction, though. But it could also be that the father is heavily gambling and that the son is not gambling at all. That is again due to the DNA from both parents.

True, no matter how a gambler is addicted to gambling, gambling can never be found in their DNA. Gambling addiction is caused by continuous exposure to games and gaming activities and anyone interested in doubling their funds can easily become addicted to gambling. Being closer to an addicted gambler can automatically make some one who is not in to gambling to inherit the mindset of a gambler and when this is not controlled by the person, it will become another problem for both parties.

This is just another excuse for being a gambling addict, we cannot blame our parents for our own decision and that gambler might use this excuse so he can avoid being interrogated. I don’t think it can be passed to your DNA because gambling is just a game, and we can argue that those who are good in sports their children can’t be good as well, because its all about your trainings and sacrifices. There’s no Doctor that can say your DNA is too exposed in gambling, so for me it can be inherited. 

And you are right, it can't be. If people's attractions and "quirks" were in the DNA, you'd have children craving the same foods as their parents. Have you ever seen that happen? I haven't. Children develop their own taste and there are things they don't like early on in their lives but can acquire a taste for later on.
You often see parents who are good at math have children who are good at languages and bad at math. You often see children of people who keep bees being allergic to bee stings. You don't inherit these things.

The only thing people seem to inherit are diseases, including mental. 

This can be inform of trait that could make the person to have vast interest in gambling. There are some persons whose fathers are crazy gambling master and having child that have almost thesame love or interest in gambling activities is possible. Gambling addiction depend on how frequent we gambling and what makes us to keep gambling whether for the love we have for it or the little profits we do make from it. Gambling addiction is real and many victims have different reason why they became addicted to gambling.

Yes, gambling addiction is a real thing that can happen to anyone who plays gambling and we never know when we can become addicted.
Only being careful when playing gambling can make us always aware that gambling is an activity that can make us forget what we must do and that is independent of hereditary factors.
If a father is a gambler, it is not certain that his child will become a gambler, especially if, from a young age, his son has seen his father's bad habits so that he can say that he will never play gambling in his life.
Everything will depend on how a person can carry himself well and behave better than his father.

There is no relationship at all with blood factors, DNA or other hereditary diseases. If parents let their children see the daily routine, it is an indirect form of education. Especially about gambling when you express your excitement while playing in front of the monitor screen, it has more of an effect on the child's psyche and will start to find out and learn without hesitation what you are doing.

I disagree - my father was a chain smoker and none of his kids liked it. We don't smoke because we have seen our father battling hard to quit smoking when he learnt that he is not going to survive. WE have smoking we really do. I wish no one ever smoke in their lives so that their kids do not suffer at all.

Its a personal choice but there are things which could really trigger out or would really be convincing you to do so just because your father or someone do permits you to do so thats why it does really
give out some impact even we do say that we dont like it but on the time you've been seeing it for how many times then most likely you would really be dealing or doing it on the future.
Behavior cant really be inherited but something that could rather influence you into your future actions but of course not all would really be that easily get influenced if you do have that fixed
mindset or beliefs in life that you do strictly follow or do depends on your preference.

Yes this is true, gambling addiction is not in the blood,  addiction comes from to much exposure of games . If you look at every gambler very well you would get to know that they have serious love for game. Saying gambling addiction can be inherited is like also saying hobbies can be inherited too.

Gambling is no exception but it is a behaviour it is not transferred  through DNA. However children can look up to parents and either they would choose to gamble or they would disapprove to gambling. That too is the personal choice. My friend said his father used to take drugs and they have seen so much trouble in their home.They don't like to smoke at all - because they hate smoking and drug.

It all depends on each person's choice, I have several friends whose fathers are addicted to gambling, but my friends are not interested in gambling
at all. Even my friend thinks negatively about gambling, therefore gambling can't necessarily be passed on to our descendants if we don't affect
our children. Therefore, there is no need to worry too much if we are addicted to gambling, not necessarily our children will be addicted to
gambling too. It all depends on how a person is affected by gambling itself, so if we don't want our children to be addicted to gambling,
we must provide education about gambling. In fact, I find many people addicted to gambling even though their parents are very religious,
in the end how to control ourselves to the environment around us is very important.

Gambling is an addition - it is not transferred through DNA - like smoking is an addiction and it is not transferred through DNA as well.
Many kids do not copy their parents bad habit. Some of them do. Like our parents use to smoke and we didn't like it all. That is a personal choice but nothing to do with the chromosomes.

But as a parent then you should really be mindful on your activities which you do know that it could give out negative effects or something that could be seen by your children and as a guardian then
we arent that dumb that gambling could give more negative effects rather than on positive ones because if we do really talk solely about entertainment then we know that gambling isnt
the only choice for that but there are things which you could eventually engage without needing on spending money or needs to deal with gambling.Its true and just like what most people been
saying that this isnt something that could be inherited but rather depends on the behavior and different taking of an individual.We might be close or identical on DNA but doesnt mean
that everything would really be passed on.

Sadly most parents and guardians even though know the fact that their public actions affect the kids, they are not keen on their responsibility but rather give priority to the type of activities that entertain them such as gambling.  Kids might see them doing these gambling activities thus inherit those traits when these kids grow up.  As for the DNA imprint, it is quite vague and debatable since most of us do not believe that but who are we to refute when we cannot also show that the parents' gambling traits aren't imprinted on the gene of their kids.  We cannot say that the statement is true if we cannot produce any proof that what we are telling is correct.

While it is true that your specific genetics can create in people certain tendencies, at the same time I think we give to them to much weight as people can overcome those tendencies and become whatever they want.

Some people may have tendencies which make them more likely to become addicted, but as long as they are disciplined they can live their lives without ever falling into addiction if they develop themselves in a way that makes them more resistant to those temptations.

Well, i have observed this from my neighborhood, that most of them have turned into gamblers. Maybe heredity still counts as whatever the tree, so is the fruit. But having an environment that is full of gamblers may also have a big effect on the young ones. It's like their young minds have been motivated that gambling can make them rich, or the reason that they don't struggles in life. However, when they grow old and mature, they will eventually discover the real effects of gambling, and its their choice whether to do the same or just get rid of gambling.

Me as well, my neighbor turned their house into a small mahjong place wherein most of them are the players and other of my neighbors as well. I remember a time that a police came to their house but due to the influence of the owner in the compound, police turn around and left. It is prohibited to play a local gambling without a permit and license from the government, but people will still play since there will be a chance that they will get more money when they win. Environment do affects a person behavior and also what will he about to do in his life in the future, but that doesn't mean be cannot be change, gambling addiction doesn't run in the blood.

Environment do affect. But the OP is about the transfer of gambling from parents to kids - which is not possible - because not all the kids become gamblers if the parents are gamblers. However it is also one of the possibility that gamblers kids refuse to gamble incase they dislike gambling.

This is a good comparison, we should understand that it is our choice to get addict into something and most of the time if the Children sees the addiction of their parents, they started to hate it. In the situation of my friend, his parents is a liquor addict and when his parent get drunk, they became insane and starts to hurt his siblings so this kind of trauma makes them hate beer, and that is also a proof that addiction can’t be inherit. We all have our own choices here especially if you are already on a legal age, always choose what’s best for you.

That is correct personal choice is a different thing and addiction is an other. But we can not say it at all that just because our parents were smokers - kids are smoking. My father was a chain smoker. But none of my sibling likes smoking at all. Why it has not been transferred through genes? because it is not in DNA

Let me just use an illustration to give my input on this topic. Looking at Ronaldo and Messi, it's clear that Ronaldo built himself due to constant practice (which is like him picking up the habit) while Messi is naturally gifted (which is like footballing is in his DNA). Without much debate we know Messi is mile ahead of Ronaldo although some will disagree and that's solely due to Ronaldo's personality and respect for hard work. Now when you're born with something, you're naturally gifted in the area and it would be evident when you work on that gift.

The gambler would inherited the act is likely to be more addictive then the users that just got addicted due to some circumstances. He would picked up the habit would probably let it go if he gets an alternative to gambling but he would has a family history would die a gamble.

Very well said, but gambling and smoking are entirely different, there's no thrill in smoking while there's a huge thrill in gambling because you have a chance to win big money if you will try to risk money. Sometimes we are influenced if we see people inside the family that are winning in gambling, which will result in curiosity and we will also try to experiment on our own.

Yes, you are right. If the environment around the children does not have children who smoke, it could be that later when they grow up, no one will smoke either.
As for adults who have already smoked, it will remain like that.
There are also those whose fathers don't smoke at all, but their children are surrounded by smoking children, which makes them smoke as well.
Maybe it's not related to DNA but maybe how we can choose which one to use and that's more personal.

Seems you're contradicts yourself.
If you said the environment is full of smokers, then you will become smoker too. But you said it's depend on your personal choice, this mean environment do not always make the adult become smoker even he surrounded full of smokers.

Don't forget almost all parents often advice to not follow his bad habit or don't become like him at all and teach why they shouldn't become like him, his kids will know why the reason.

I don't understand why most people view gambling as an illegal/criminal/bad thing to do, because if you can control yourself you will know gambling is good for your mind and health due to stressed out of working entire days.

I think gambling could actually be passed on from a parent to a child. Let me paint a scenario here. Let's use a situation where the addict is saddled with the responsibility of taking care of the child as there is probably no one at home to watch the child, the urge to gamble could arise and due to the lack of control he may have, might decide to take the kid to the casino or gambling house.
 As the child grows up, he may grow up with this attitude.

Each addiction has its own sensation and we cannot equate addiction to alcohol, cigarettes and gambling because they are something or a different kind and have their own sensations. Also, every child can always choose whether they should become addicts too or not because over time there will be changes to their choices. For example I have a friend whose parents were drunkards and my friend as a teenager chose the same way as a drunkard, but over time after he had his own family the drunken habit had disappeared from him. Well, basically every addiction will be eliminated over time with awareness from themselves, about inheritance it is not something that can be associated with addiction because inheritance is something that has a price and value.

Children would either copy what they see on their parents or question them, it's their only two choices. If their parents are addicted to gambling, then it would cause chaos into their family that gives children truma, that's why they'll hate their parents addiction forever and will not do the same like their parents. Mostly children who has a worst environment turned out to be a good example to other people, some are worst than their parents.

Well, even if gambling were hereditary.... people still have a choice to do it. You should actually be more cautious if gambling addiction is part of your genetic makeup. A lot of people have certain health problems that are hereditary, like for example "Diabetes" .... so the children in the family should then decide if they are going to "live" more healthy to avoid it.... or if they going to eat wrong food and increase the risk to get Diabetes later in their life.  ::)

So, you still have a choice in the matter.... and you should not just blame your weak genes, for the bad choices you make.  ::)

People get addicted due to gambling activities they see from their friends and family, they get very interested to gamble when they know it is a way to make money.  The money involved it that is the main reason for addiction,  addiction is not inherited , people only pick interest in gambling .

Gambling is not in DNA, neither is the smoking and drug addiction. Many kids do not smoke at all if they don't like their mom or dad smoking and dying day by day.
Many kids like to stay clean and don't drink at all if they have seen their parents struggling hard to get out of drinking addiction. Neither is gambling a productive activity nor its transferred through DNA

The habit may be inherited if you think of it that the parents and the children have been doing the same activity. It's true that gambling isn't in the DNA.
But traits and habits can be done and inherited and it will still gonna be depending on the children if they'll let that dominate them. There go the children that have the behavior that they'll do the same things of what their parents are doing.

I totally agree with you. Having a genetic make up that is inclined with being a gambler doesn't necessarily mean that you would also be a gambler and suffer the problems that come along with it including addiction. We have our own choice of how we will do things. We are granted free will because the decisions lie on our very own hands. We shouldn't be dictated by anyone or anything.

Having a genes with gambling is predominant shouldn't be the basis of determining someone's future or identity. Every person have the capability to resist and do otherwise what people expect them to do or to become.

Gambling is an addiction and it's very rare that kids do not follow their parents and not play gambling when their parents have this habit of gambling.
If anyone wants that his/her kids not gamble, then they should quit gambling first and set an example for their kids. Otherwise, the kids will always have this excuse that since their parents were gamblers why can't they do gambling too.

Depends on how the person adopts the system, might be true that if the kids don't like to do the same

they can stay away from these activities and find their own path, if they see that there's nothing for them or if they are not
enjoying but in that same sentiments, if those kids see that the parents are enjoying the mindset or the thinking is they can
imitate that just simply following how the parents deals with it.

But most of the time - kids become more smarter and more wiser to decide what to do and what not to..
However - life teaches everyone a great lesson every day. But saying that your are gambler because your father was gambler or you smoke because your father does. Is not correct.

I don't call that becoming smarter or wiser.  They are darer to do things that interests them and get bolder about not listening to their parent's advice.


Or is not wrong.  Often times kids mimic their parents.  Remember the very first education comes from the family.  So whatever a child observes from his parents, they might simulate it.  There is always a huge possibility that a kid might do the same thing as what their parents are doing, especially vices and their parent's sort of entertainment.  And parent's fondness for gambling is not excluded from the traits a kid might inherit.

Yes, we all have the freedom to continue or not. But with the younger ones today, they're easy become hooked on something they do like gambling.
And when they're there being addicted, they can't stop and handle it all of it and that's how they are ending up miserably because it's hard for them to admit that they're addicted and they can't help themselves to get out of it.

It is the fact when we do something good we credit ourself and when something bad happens we blame others.
Likewise - if we a winner gambler - we will take the credit and if we are a looser gambler we will blame others. most of the the time we also keep fighting with our parents for all the bad which comes in life. That is such a mess. But one thing is for sure - gambling is not transfer through DNA.

Yeah, you don't want that to happen someday that your kid will blame you that they've became addicted in gambling because of you. Despite them the ones taking actions and decisions of their lives and when they've became miserable due to gambling, they'll be blaming you as the parent because you did nothing and they'll put the blame on your genes and they've just inherited it. Sounds funny but it could happen because there are people that are just looking for someone to blame for for their misfortune.

That is true, and also a good reason to be careful with who you introduce to gambling, directly or indirectly, because if people you referred have any issues later with their betting behavior, you are the one who is going to be blamed for everything. Funny thing is that even when someone isn't introduced or incentivized to gamble by anyone, they still find a way to avoid their own mistakes by blaming gambling itself!

But after these studies explaining gambling behavior can be inherited, there are serious chances it can become a new trend among problem gamblers to justify their actions and avoid consenting any faults on their side...

Yes, it depends on your personal choice because if someone has a strong character, he will not be tempted by anything and be able to choose what he thinks is good.
But many people become seduced by their surroundings and in the end, they follow what the people in their environment do.
We decide what we want to be and not depend on the environment.

That's because a child only sees and imitates what his parents do so it makes us as parents be careful when in front of them. We must be able to set a good example so that they see and imitate it for their future provision. If we can set a good example for them, they will surely understand and be able to distinguish what they can and cannot do. This will also prevent their children from doing something bad when they grow up. Children need the understanding to understand things so this is what makes us have to be able to explain everything properly and correctly.

Parents have their own choices but I am sure that parents do not want their kids to follow what wrong they do or did in their life.
Like if a father takes drug he would beat his son to death if he finds out his son is doing the same. Likewise - if the parents are addicted drinker they would not want their kids to do that, Having gambling trait in DNA is not correct - its a choice.

Exactly. There are so many bad things that are "hereditary" that if they were manifested and not suppressed everyone would be a walking monster ... no, a monster in a wheelchair because of the health problems.

What I don't like the most in the article in the OP is that it can be used as an excuse. "What could I do? It's hereditary! " We, everyone of us, are editing our hereditary traits all the time, suppressing bad ones and reinforcing what's good, both on physical and mental levels. Without this editing there would be no life as we know it.

what you describe for parents I agree but not for DNA, there are many journals or studies that explain certain types of addiction, especially drugs, for example, as you mentioned, parents who use drugs will have the potential to cause addiction to their children even in a healthy environment. there are many journals that describe the inheritance of traits in DNA, you can look for it.
In the case of gambling, I think it is interesting that the inherited nature of gambling activities carried out by its predecessors is different from the inheritance of drugs, drugs are substances that are inserted into the human body so that it causes an addictive effect and this affects the DNA chain. For inheritance gambling, inheritance gambling is still very relevant for debate because I believe that everyone is equipped with knowledge and can choose and be responsible for each choice.

You have mentioned a valid point. For example if kids can inherit intelligence then its up to them how they use the intelligence they can choose the productive path or they can choose the destructive path..   have you happened to watch Craigslist Killer | The Case of Philip Markoff? this is a good example how kids from broken family are psychologically affected.

If the head of a family or any other member is involved in gambling, then a new member of that family may be involved in gambling. Because people imitate most of the time for learning. In many cases it may not be. I have seen many people in their family who have never been involved in gambling but have been influenced by friends who are gambler.

Of course, a person's environment has a very strong influence on him and his habits. It's hard enough to resist gambling when it's all you talk about in your company and every pub in your town has a slot machine. This I know from personal experience. That's why I try not to let my children know that I'm into gambling.

I get your point. Perhaps you felt pressured and overwhelmed that your surrounding is talking gambling most of the time, hence gave into it because they already influenced you into thinking it is worth trying. I can't blame you. Peer pressure is real and it could really affect someone's decision making which I suppose most of us went through in some part of our lives especially when we were younger.

I guess it's a safe decision to keep it a secret from your children that you are doing gambling most especially if they aren't in the right age yet because it might affect them as well. They might think it would be okay for them to engage in it as well if not guided properly. But I hope you'll educate them about it when they have the capacity to understand it well so they won't be lost if ever they'll discover gambling on their own. It's still best to have awareness and be educated about something. Otherwise it can lead them to harm if there would be lack of information.

Yes, much better to be not involved with anyone's interest in gambling because you know what potentially can happen afterward. As you gamble, you understand the concept and possible results when you gamble but for others, you just can't predict what can happen to them and it's unknown.

Well, they can make use of it as an excuse but effect and result will still show on what type of gambler they are and they just can't blame forever with their own fault.

That is a fact and that fact may only be disregarded when that person is somehow strong enough to resist those urges and temptations he's getting every single day as his environment, as well as his workplace, is full of gambling discussions. But in most cases, that same urge will get you curious enough to even try what they are trying to say and in the end, you will find yourself gambling.

Just taking some example on my case when im still studying on college where most of my friends are really smoking which you would really be getting influenced easily and do the same thing if you dont really have that self control on ones self and this is also the case whenever you do expose yourself around with gamblers but not all do easily get hooked up though.

There are indeed people who are really just good on controlling their emotion and mindset and set out restriction whether they would be engaging on it or not.

Gambling cant be inherited because this is basing up on behavior which is something not connected with that DNA thingy or something like that.
As a guardian or parent if you dont like for your children to be a gambler then dont let them to see on what you've been doing.

I'm of the same opinion but if they have a study and proof that it's really hereditary, there's no way to twist and flip that study case that they've got and the same goes to the proof.
But as parents, we don't want to be the same with our children if it's about gambling and what we want for them is the best that they can. That's why as part of parenting, we're telling them not to be the same as us and avoid gambling.

Responsible parent will never allow things like this to happen with their kids,

They will do everything to make sure that their kids will be away from this kind of activities, many argument
might come up, but the sure thing in my opinion, every responsible parent will do the best that they can
to avoid things to happen with their kids, they don't want to see them facing difficulties once addiction
triggered their kids.

As much as possible, parents want their children to have a better life, so they try to give their children the best.
But unfortunately, many of their children do not realize it and even misunderstand their parents' intentions.
Maybe this needs further understanding and discussion between parents and their children so that they can accept what the parents mean.
But their children still have their own choices in determining their lives and parents cannot impose their will on their children.

No, it's not about parental responsibility because even if they make great efforts to keep children away from gambling, children very often decide to have their own experiences and start gambling with their peers. The main objective is not to prohibit gambling but to explain to the child that the probability that he will lose his money is higher than the probability that he will win and this is based on the mathematical expectation calculation for each particular gambling game.

That's correct and I will never argue with that as a parent. But there will be circumstances when a kid growing up is idolizing some of his friends. It happened to me. We have a clean house, nobody was allowed to smoke. We can play cards but there's no money involved, we use punishments for the loser like putting coal marks on the face of a cousin or sometimes just white powder until his face becomes so funny.
But after all that, I still learned to gamble, smoke, and drink. It's because of friends which is difficult to stop because you don't want your kid to rebel which might worsen the condition.
IMO, it's not genetic, most of the time the environment will dictate.

Friends is a big factors in such vices. I can agree with that since I grew up becoming one of them. I've learned gambling a long time a go and I have a friend who is also a gambler, This results me in participating more gambling activities. This is why parenting should involve knowing their child friends or their background for them to warn their kids on not what to copy or do the same as their friends. Depending on your area, You can still do guide your child even they are on an adult age. This age is where vices started coming as law doesn't limit them to do it.

Being responsible or not depends on how the regulations are applied in the country or in the region itself, because each country has its own regulations regarding gambling. So when gambling is legal in that country, then I think children will be free to gamble when they are of age to gamble and parents in this case can be normal. That is, no responsibility is placed on the parents themselves when the state does relieve gambling, but if the parents have their own opinion about gambling then the parents can then act as they should.

As time passes by, kids are growing, and even parents are trying their best. There's still chances that influence from

friends will intimidate. I'm sure as a parent we always wanted our kids to grow in a normal way, but considering all those dangers,
and the surroundings that they might be exposed.

They will develop closeness to someone that might introduce them to the kind of activities that we parents are really afraid,
I agree that screening people that will be surround your kids is also part of good parenthood..

In my opinion, the fact that you played card games at home as a child may well have influenced your passion for gambling later in life. If I were your parents, I would not use gambling for this kind of entertainment because there are a lot of fun games for company that can bring fun but cannot cause you to get addicted to gambling.

Once you grow in an environment the same with the of the gamblers you will mostly think that this is normal of course you will see their hard times and good times because we know how gambling can give emotional imbalance at the same time is financial problem to the player who does not control their gambling games base on their experience by that you can get a knowledge what are the things you can prevent and avoid to make sure you didn't experience the same worst.

A fascinating question that makes you think carefully. I felt it was hard for me to imagine gambling addiction as a genetic disease or disorder. Nevertheless, the formation of this dependence is influenced by a person's choice, actions, and the lifestyle they lead.

However, I believe that as soon as the love of gambling becomes an addiction, a person needs serious professional help, as if they had an addiction to illegal substances or alcohol.

Gambling addiction is not a disease or genetic disorder but the result of what we constantly do and are not aware of any changes in ourselves. Gambling addiction is dependence on gambling games and we want to play longer but unfortunately, we use our money to play and don't give many wins if we don't have luck.

If you are addicted to gambling, you need help from other people and we even have to contact professionals who can help us overcome the gambling addiction. But the role of the family will be very important because they are the closest people to us who can supervise and help us to find solutions.

I honestly also find it hard to imagine that addiction can be inherited. but if you read the description of the op that there have been studies that claim this statement. I believe and I agree that the formation of this dependence is influenced by the choices, actions, and lifestyle of a person especially in this era. everyone has the choice and the intelligence to think in their actions. especially in this case concerning gambling, a person who has the gambling gene from his ancestry cannot be claimed or confirmed that he will become a gambling addict.

Making sure that our kids have good friends and don't spend time with sketchy people is important, but parents can't control everything in the life of their kids. Eventually they are going to leave the house and make decision on their own. Already in high school children will be more independent and might even have rebellious phase where they won't accept anything from their parents. In my opinion it's best to try and make them understand why there are age restrictions on things like gambling or alcohol. Teaching critical thinking and some scepticism can help in later parts of life too. My parents are totally against gambling and never taught me anything about it. I will do the opposite and be very open about gambling with my kids when they are old enough.