I recently watched a new episode of a program about dependent and codependent people. And they talked about how far a person can go in his lies so that people around him will take pity on him and give him money.
They are ready to lie and make up stories about how they are being persecuted by bandits or tax authorities, and this lie shows how much such a dependent person does not respect his family and people around him. For him, bets and casinos are much more important than relationships with people around him.
Oh yeah! That could really happen in reality, especially for a person who has been hooked so badly on gambling. They will use any possible reasoning just so they can be pitied by the people who are near them.
Drug addicts also use this kind of strategy and there are still people who believe them even though it's all a lie. They make stories about losing money or being chased by authorities because of debts and other stuff but the truth is that they only used it all in either gambling or drugs.
That's a big sign of addiction if one can lie through their teeth, especially with his/her loved ones who will always offer a helping hand not knowing they are being conned.