I don’t think a gambling problem is tied to a dollar amount. Michael Jordan can lose a million dollars at a craps table and it isn’t a big deal. Someone else might have their life ruined. That to me is the determining factor. When gambling starts negatively effecting your life and you continue to do it, then you have a problem.
Gambling is not the problem. People who are gambling are always the problem, and the money – how much they could consider to be a problem – should be linked to how much will ruin their finances. Like you said, when it's already affecting the gambler and they don't want to stop, then the person needs help because he or she is their own problem and not gambling.
I have lost a ton gambling, but I don't know when I try to gamble. When I win, I try to be greedy and win more. But I end up losing everything. Its been going on for a while and I think I have a problem.
And that problem is what you need to fight against. You need to just end gambling entirely until you figure out a way to fix your problem, which makes you too greedy, and you don't know when to stop after winning. Your greed is what's controlling you, and if you ask me, I will advise you to look for something else to distract your mind and forget about gambling before the problem even gets worse.