A gambling addiction is not NECESSARILY a horrible thing. It's not good, obviously, but there are possible harm reduction measures.
The main ways by which gambling addiction becomes catastrophic is, pretty obviously, when you're betting at levels you cannot actually afford and/or spending inordinate amounts of time doing it (neglecting family, work, etc).
I've had times in my life where I struggled with gambling issues (poker in card rooms to be precise), and the biggest problem was ... it was really incommensurate in value with what I could actually AFFORD, and I'd sometimes even miss work because I was gambling (time problem).
Nowadays I only bet NFL games (because I follow the NFL really closely so feel I can bet intelligently) online (because I can in AZ). And when I bet on a weekend it's a bunch of like $1-5 bets, maybe totally $50 on a weekend. I can afford to lose 50 bucks though it's rarely that much.
And I can afford to spend 4 hours on a Saturday morning researching and setting up bets.
Oh, and maybe 2x a year I'll go with my little brother to play 3-6 Hold 'Em at the card room when I fly home to visit. $300 is my limit afa going down in the hole, even though it's not like I'd be ruined even if I lost 5 grand.
I didn't go to GA or anything (though NA and AA, sure!), I just convinced myself I could indulge in gambling and still get about 95% of the excitement ... with very small affordable bets, and have basically no real downside. It's just fun. I WON! Sure it wasonly $1.50 but hell ... I guessed right!
I know it's anecdotal but I think it's possible with gambling to do this mostly on your own. Unlike with, say, opioid addiction, where its almost impossible to not get into huge trouble unless you ABSTAIN 100%, due to physical and chemical changes in your body brought about by overuse of the substances. Been there, trust me.
I don't think you HAVE to abstain 100% with gambling (though there's no downside to doing so!). You just have to adjust it to a level commensurate with your time and means. Drug and Alcohol addictions it's basically impossible to put the genie back in the bottle. Anywhere you seek help WILL tell you ... there are no half-measures. Because you are literally changed physically. You MUST abstain.
Gambling you just have to come to the realization that it's just really no fun when you bet more than you afford, or invest too much time into it. Its actually MORE fun to play with only what you can afford. Have to find a way to flip that switch.
MHO fwiw
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