Based on what I have witnessed in some compulsive gamblers, they usually see some of all these signs when they are gambling but they ignore it and don't bother to make a correction, they keep ignoring it until they can no longer control it because it has become a habit. At least if a gambler begins to notice all this symptoms, they should either take a brake from gambling for some time or seek a advice from someone that can help them.
Gambling addicts are in denial. Even if we clearly see them struggling to control their addiction, still they would defend theirselves that they are not addicts, but are only gambling just to entertain theirselves. And when they can’t no longer control their addiction anymore, after they have ruined their lives and break their personal relationships, that’s when the time that they will admit to theirselves that they’re completely helpless and hopeless. And even wish to have their support system, their family, to be always around them.
Well that's true and actually that unconsciousness is what makes it difficult for them to overcome their addiction problem, or what I mean is actually one of the reasons why overcoming addiction is very difficult is because they don't realize that they are addicted and often they think that they are ordinary gamblers who are not addicted or who have an ordinary approach to gambling even though if we look at the way they treat gambling it is clear that they often make aggressive decisions.
You said something true that most likely an addict will only be able to realize that they are addicted when they have experienced a slump, I am sure of that because I am also one of the gamblers who was initially addicted but is now cured which healing began when I realized that I was addicted, meaning that awareness is what can make someone recover slowly from addiction.