Gambling physically alters the structure of the brain and makes people more prone to depression and anxiety, new research has shown.

Scientists examining problem gamblers found they had more grey matter in and connections between regions linked to the mental conditions.

They said the discovery could lead to new treatments for gambling addiction, through drugs or psychological techniques.

Gambling has long been known to be associated with both debt and family difficulties as well as other mental health problems, such as depression.

But the new findings, published in the journal Neuron, suggest the same system that causes affective disorders plays a role in a person's ability to tolerate economic risk.