Unless someone has a gun to your head literally forcing you to gamble but when that happens you have bigger problems to tackle lol. Yes the blame game is a complete cop out, there is no excuse other than your own stupidity and losses I am with you 100%. I hope the folks who can't control it get a grip because when gambling you can't play games like this with your money if you can't afford it
Agreed, we're to blame ourselves when we find ourselves gambling because we're supposed to be incharge of our mind and not letting the games be in control of us. Even when we're held at gun point, we still have the choice of choosing not to gamble irresponsibly and get ourselves in challenges that we can't get out of. Being addicted to gambling is something that isn't easy to get out of and you'll still be owing debts because you'll be borrowing to gamble.
It's better we don't gamble than to be blaming others when we start having issues that's causing us to get low on cash. Blaming others isn't going to stop you from having the problem that you have hence owning up to your mistakes is the only thing that can help you because you'll start taking more precautions that way.
I get the point about personal responsibility but this is not only about willpower. Addiction rewires the brain and makes stopping much harder even when someone knows the harm. Easy access to gambling and pressure to chase losses trap people who never intended to be in this situation. Blaming someone rarely helps and it pushes people to hide the problem. I have seen families tear apart because of this and the fallout can last for years.
If you want to help start with a calm nonjudgmental conversation where you point to specific changes you have noticed. Offer to help find a counselor Gamblers Anonymous or a debt adviser. Help reduce access to money by removing saved cards or asking the bank to block gambling transactions. Set firm boundaries so you do not cover debts or hide losses. Keep records of threats or violence and call emergency services if someone is in immediate danger. Look after your own mental health and talk to someone about how this is affecting you. If you want I can write a short plain message you can send or find local support contacts and draft them for you.