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.
I agree with what you said, but I'll just add something when it comes to counselling. Counselling surely is very helpful especially when it comes to addicted gamblers, but for me, it's useless if you as an addicted gambler isn't ready to change. Any help would be helpful, but as long as you aren't ready to change, it will all be useless. Therapy is helpful, counselling is helpful, advice from friends are helpful, advice from your family will always be helpful, you in order for those to work in your favor, you need to help yourself as well by changing how you think.
As for gambling addiction, it's a result of many wrong decisions that we've done while we are gambling. It's the result of the mistakes that we've taken as we are gambling. If you can't control yourself, if you don't have the discipline, just don't gamble at all because gambling addiction can make your life miserable without you noticing it at all. I've seen many stories online already regarding gamblers that are already suffering because of their poor decisions in life.