It is very difficult to prevent the addicted, but you are so lucky that you have been able to control yourself, and now, you don't have a problem with the addiction. We must have the discipline to control ourselves, and it needs practice every day so we can be able to stop it right away, and we don't have to feel a huge loss. Having control for ourselves feels like a brake that will help us to stop gambling, and that is one thing that we should have on gambling.
One can really learn his lessons in life when he encountered trouble at some point in his life. In his case, he lost it all and acquired huge debt. That was his wake up call. Sometimes, you need something like this to realize what you are doing with your life. Self control is hard if you are already engulf in gambling, but there will be turning point somewhere. And that is for you to decide whether you will go deep or change your lifestyle for the better. I guess many people here are having a break of their gambling habits as casinos are shutdown, no sports betting, unless, they are into online gambling also. Time to self reflect these days and choose which one will make your life better.
I believe in turning point because I already get that experience before, but it was not happening in gambling. That turning point changes my life once, and I can go back to the right way. Yes, people can learn from the mistake with that turning point, and he will be forced to change no matter what is conditions because he won't have any choice except to change.
Maybe that is happening in gambling too. When someone broke because playing gambling, and the situations force him to change his mind, he will do something better than before, and that is his turning point. He will be able to leave gambling forever, or if he is still playing gambling, he will have control for himself so that it can prevent him from making the same mistake.