As the addiction progresses, the individual will increase their interest in gambling depending on what their personality type may be because it will take someone who is easily influenced to gain an intense desire to gamble.
It also depends on the type of gambling that is being pursued and how good the person is at it. For example, individuals that play games such as poker that require skill, showmanship and strategy are prone to progress much slower than someone who probably has to pick a horse at the race track. Games that provide instant gratification such as slot machine games and video games seem to progress at a much faster rate. It does not matter the rate of progression or the type of game played because every gambler has three primary phases that they have to experience throughout the progression stage.These phases are explained at the gambling addiction treatment center when the addict is being admitted into the program. Any compulsion that the individual has will be reciprocated into learning new ways of how to handle it and being forced to look at the consequences resulting from these actions. If you find someone having fun at a slot machine, it might not be as casual as you think. They could be subtly on their way to a compulsive disorder that they cannot stop.
If they get to the addiction stage, then it is time for them to get to a gambling addiction treatment center and rid themselves of this destructive behavior once and for all. They are given an opportunity to enter into a program that will give them all the tools and resources that they will need to get better. It also equips them with knowledge of their trigger points so that they won't experience relapse and will know how to handle the excitement that comes when thoughts of gambling occur. Occasional gambling may take place, but at least the person will be in control of their emotions with treatment and find a way to not go beyond what they know that they are capable of.