Unfortunately, gambling for many gamblers is just a way to temporarily escape from reality and stop feeling what they are currently feeling in reality. This can be disappointment or resentment, because during gambling all attention is focused on money, because this is important.
After all, if we win big money, we can change almost any real situation, but unfortunately, gamblers do not often win, and escaping from reality is only a temporary measure.
I do wish that would always be the case, but it is not. There are gamblers who are doing it for the purpose of having more money and not as a temporary escape from reality. They want to win, we want to win, which is why it is more frustrating when a losing streak happens.
You are right, though, that gamblers do not often win. Now, that's reality. Gambling is a high-risk type of game, and we should always be ready for the losses that will happen. It's inevitable, it's the characteristic of gambling, it's business, it's not a charity, and we should be ready with those things so that it's less stressful.
Escaping reality is easier to do with drugs. But if they are used to gambling its going to be the preferred one than sniffing.
People however with so much money from the past and suddenly become poor because of gambling will still spend a ton just to feel like they are rich. The feeling that they still have the status is way comforting. Which they will probably gamble to make more money, its to goal.