Can someone still develop the habit of gambling and become an addict even though no one around gambles?
To answer the final question, yes you can definitely become a gambler even if you were never brought up around or even ended up in situations where gamblers are present. In actual fact I wonder if people who see what a menace gambling can be when growing up, might naturally be more inclined to stay away from it themselves. In reality though, no responsible parent should ever be introducing or even exposing children to their gambling ways, if they're bad enough to have become addicted themselves. Frankly, that money could likely be much better spent on improving the upbringing and life experiences of those children, instead of boring them with nonsense.
It is curiosity that leads a person to try things that is not known to him. In this case, a person who has not been exposed to gambling can develop a gambling habit and even get addicted if he tried the game and gets hooked to it. In fact, it is more dangerous for people who have little awareness of the negative effect of gambling, thus, they are more susceptible to becoming a gambling addicts.
If any gambler is of the mindset that he will become rich in a quick time, then there is a big chance that we will keep on playing even if he loses in gambling. This may make him a gambling addict and he may not even know that he is addicted to gambling.
I don't think a change of environment can lower the gambling addiction but a change of hobbies may surely help gamblers spend time on other things and not on gambling.