Having a gambling friends or mate will make you to be addicted in gambling, so I believe that as a gambler, you need to follow your own ways of gambling method, do not have a group kind of gambling mates that might lead you to be addicted in gambling, in other way round once someone is addicted in the group other's may be indirectly be affected

In other way round, if you wants to make it in gambling you have to follow your own direction in gambling, and not basically depends on other people kinds of gambling.