Counseling is just a first step. What they really need is a medical treatment and attention from medical experts and practitioners. And that will only be possible if these addicted gamblers have finally admitted to theirselves that they need help and treatment, and that’s where the therapy becomes effective.
Gambling addiction is never a fate, but it’s simply an individual’s choice. You chose it and made it happen, and so you’re responsible of its consequences. Fact is, gambling addiction can always be avoided, just gamble responsibly and gamble the right and proper way.
Well, for an addicted gambler, the fact that they recognize the problem and realize that they should stop and seek help is already an achievement. I don't know if there are statistics on how many gamblers manage to solve their addiction problem, but I think it's a small percentage of the total number of addicted gamblers.