Gambling and your DNA - are they linked?

A recent study by a group of Australian scientists has found a link between compulsive gambling and genetics. The researchers studied thousands of sets of twins - both identical and non-identical - and quizzed them about their gambling behaviour. They found that identical twins who gamble are more likely to have a twin that also gambles compared to non-identical twins; strengthening the claim that gambling compulsion is inherited. You can read more about the study here.

The researchers suggest that their study has established for the first time that genes are as important in the cause of disordered gambling in women as they are in men. They say “the discovery of specific genes and environments involved in the development of disordered gambling remains an important direction for future research”.