Yes everyone first starts gambling for free time but gradually when he gets addicted to gambling he doesn't know. I started gambling for a little entertainment to spend my free time. I don't like gambling much now because I am a gambler. I lost a lot of money playing.I was totally addicted to gambling then. So I didn't understand anything then. Now I understand and regret a lot.
It's good that you've noticed and you're able to acknowledge that you've been once an addicted gambler. It is a hard thing for a gambler to accept his faults and admit that he's already too much and considers himself as an addicted gambler. While you've been through, a lot of realizations for sure has happened.
The scenario of yours and OP isn't that far at all. You need to assure yourself that you're only gambling for what it is intended for and what you've planned for.
When it's time to withdraw profits, do not forget about it and remember that being too much on it does have a lot of bad effects.