Well, that could be a good approach to avoiding spending but then the ultimate question is, how many percentage gamblers really can control ther urge when there are at a crossroads where there need to make decisions as to whether pull back when their budget is exhausted or to continue to chase the loses.
This have become the most challenging aspect of gambling and that is why we always advocate gambling responsibly because the gambling urge is not easy to control especially when money is at stake and I think the best possible thing to do is to gamble just for fun and not for the profit or hitting a jackpot.
Well that's the addiction part. Techniques to avoid spending are just tools to make it harder so you won't bet hastily more then you can afford. I would say it starts from routine. Have a routine and never break it. If i break it i will give myself sanctions not to gamble x amount of time.
First step is to admit having a problem. As when gambling stops being just fun past time it sounds like something is not ok. Some people can handle it some of the time and some people need to stay away from anything addictive, especially if there's a change to lose everything.