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.
If you've gotten to the point where someone has called you out as being addicted to gambling, then you might want to sit up and listen. It's only something that someone who sees you regularly or who you share a lot of information with that will be likely to identify such a problem. If it's from someone random, maybe they're just projecting or you've not explained your situation adequately enough. However you should always be trying to learn and take assess new knowledge throughout life, sometimes we sleep walk into such a issues. It could be the wake up call that you need or that other people have been too scared or reluctant to highlight to you. Take a step back and think if you do need to change your ways.
When a person accepts they are a gambling addict right in front of their friends or family, it will alienate everyone around them. It's not easy to just admit it when all the time they portray themselves as a good model citizen yet the next day they hear something else. It takes time to sink in.
Even if it's true that a person is really a gambler and addicted to a degree, he will always lie to avoid prosecution by the judging public. It's offensive maybe but more importantly, they are protecting their integrity thats why its offensive.