I missed this thread.
As for me - it is not about gambling. It is about crime, about steal. This employee just stole money and doesn`t matter how he spent it.
Of course when we play we have to remember rules, but even out of gambling - we have to remember that steal is a crime.
Your observations are correct. The story was just about a criminal stealing from an organisation and spending it on gambling. But this criminal activity might be fueled by gambling addiction. There have been stories of workers stealing from organisations because they want ot use it to satisfy their uncontrollable urge for gambling. That's why it's important to only use funds we can afford and not borrowed money to engage in gambling.