Many people find it difficult to accept who they are and the bad habits that they have, accepting a habit is the first step that will determine if any help offered to you will work. As a gambler, will you find it offensive if you are referred to as a gambling addict? will you easily accept it or try to give excuses like some other people do, saying that they are not addicted to gambling when the signs are clearly there. Do you think identifying as an addicted gambler will make people stereotype you. The answer is different for every gambler here.
Accepting that you're wrong is the first step to healing and change and no one will want to associated openly with negativity yet indulge in such activities.
I wouldn't say for sure how I might react if someone calls me an addict especially if I have no close rapour with such a person, then he or she will have to tell the grounds on which they call me an addict.
Players have made gambling seem too bad to the society because alot of them are already chasing after their losses and yet wouldn't realize it that they're already getting addicted in quest to wanting to recover their losses.
Just as op already made it clear that, opinions matters, same thing also applies with manner of approach and if suddenly I starts gambling uncontrollably, then it wouldn't be bad if someone calls me back to my senses and not making it seem I'm been mocked.