Gambling can be only referred as a short cut to poverty when the gambler becomes addicted to it. Gambling addiction is very deadly and would render whoever that's addicted to it poor and financial lack which is why gamblers are always advised to gamble responsibly and to take control of their gambling engagements. So if you know you gamble responsibly, I don't think you should have any fear of becoming poor because of your gambling activities.
We should be able to control all the possibilities that can happen from the start of gambling, such as addiction which often happens in general, because for people who are addicted they will definitely experience disruption to their finances and also their economy, the best solution is to leave gambling when you have experienced excessive losses in 1 week, take a break first,
Addiction not something that can be easily controlled most time it happens without one noticing it , maybe until you have gotten to a point of it becoming obvious, for instance can't start without gambling and stuff , one thing I keep telling people apart from use what you can afford to lose , is not getting addicted to gambling, because getting addicted with what can ruins you so bad.
Gambling beyond one's limit is the real addiction. This scenario happens when a person continuously loses and doesn't have the understanding to accept the loss. This makes him go further and further, spending beyond his ability. Most of the time, people start spending money that has been kept aside for different needs on gambling. Very few find a way to come out by luck, as they were able to recover what they lost. Others continue and further go to the borrowing of money to gamble, so the addiction is really painful, and if they themselves realise it, one can easily come out of it before going empty handed.