What you have to do is to control the money you have to Spend , or the money you are willing to lose , as you have already been very close to being an Addict it is very easy to fall back into those Temptations, just learn to have discipline with the money you are willing to lose and that's it, it's much Safer.
It is what it is.
I am still that responsible gambler who has always be in control of himself regardless that I was almost in the trap of getting carried away with the entertainment feelings with my friend.
Sometimes we believe that we have friends, but it is not like that, what we have are companions who are looking for an interest in some way and if they can use us to achieve their Objective, that is what almost always happens, few are those who truly want things to go well for us and that the benefit is mutual , in casinos and sports betting there will always be interests over money and that is where the care of all this is, when there is money involved you have to be so careful that deals should be made in writing so as not to end up with problems and end a friendship.