Exactly the point, you can't just direct them with words but an action is needed to divert their attentions, if the person is very
close to you, then you must find a good way to divert his attentions,.
Putting him in a place where he can avoid some time playing / gambling and give him some breathing to think the right way, best time to have
some serious conversation and give him some hints that he's already getting engage that much.
A good start to bring him back to reality in life and also to allow him to balance his gambling activities and be reasonable in terms of spending
time and money when playing the game.
While we are doing this assisting stuff, we need to give more understanding to the person. We should always act kindly and we can offer advice but never nag him of his wrongdoing. The fact that he admitted that he is a gambling addict and presented himself for rehabilitation means he is wanting to have a change. It is hard for the patient to adjust especially since gambling addiction had rooted on his system. The guy may have some behavior issues but we must understand him and adjust accordingly.