Problem gambling, commonly referred to as a gambling addiction and clinically recognized as a gambling disorder, affects people of all ages, from adolescents as young as 10 to adults in their senior years. It’s not a matter of being irresponsible – it’s an addiction rooted in the brain just as are the drug and alcohol addictions of millions of people. It’s not bad behavior or a bad habit – it’s a serious condition. The earlier a person is introduced to gambling, the more likely they are to become problem gamblers as adults – or even earlier.