BATON ROUGE — It is the first day of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and millions of Americans are filling out brackets or gambling on the games

While wagering on sports can be harmless fun, it can quickly become addicting.

"There are neurotransmitters, neurochemicals in the brain that we know, again, both from human studies and animal studies, that can be released in very influential amounts when certain conditions are met. Humans and other primates are wired to like chance and to be attracted by it," Addiction Psychologist Dr. David Streem said.

Casinos and sports betting sites use all kinds of psychological tactics to lure people in and keep them spending money and even though anyone can develop a gambling addiction, certain groups may be more at risk.

It includes people who have experienced childhood abuse or neglect, witnessed something traumatic, have impulsive tendencies, or have extreme emotions when they win or lose a bet. Young adults may also be vulnerable.

“I think exposure to kids when the brain is still developing, and remember the brain keeps developing through our teenage years all the way through until we're about 26 years old. So, as you're exposing kids to these sorts of conditioning signals at these ages of brain development, is that going to affect how their brains develop? Absolutely," Dr. Streem said.

The Louisiana Problem Gamblers helpline is 1-877-770-stop. All calls are 100 percent confidential, and gambling treatment is free to Louisiana residents.