Recognize the signs of your addiction and learn to change your behavior - few addictions are as destructive over time as gambling. The financial chaos it generates can run after you for many years, unless you can control the situation.
Steps
Step 1. Recognize your behavior for what it is, which is an addiction
Are you taking time away from work to play? Do you go beyond your means by throwing away the money you've saved up to pay your rent, mortgage, or bills? Do you use credit cards to play? Are you reticent about how you spent your money after betting? Does a loss trigger periods of depression that lead you to gamble again, thinking that you will be able to recover the lost money and, consequently, your peace of mind? Admitting the problem is the first important step in addressing this situation.
Step 2. Don't put yourself in a position to play, even if just "for the fun of it"
If friends invite you to go to the casino, be honest with yourself and others that gambling is more than just fun for you. Suggest another business or opt out. A person addicted to the game cannot approach it sensibly because, being addicted to it, he is seduced by the adrenaline rush associated with the "hunting" scenario represented by the game itself. You can't stay in control if you are more interested in the feeling of a certain activity than in the activity itself.
Step 3. Don't be reticent about your financial situation
Pay your bills immediately, as soon as you get a chance. You will see that it will be less destructive to use this money for necessities rather than to pay off gambling debts. In fact, if you have to take out a loan to pay your bills, isn't that the same in the long run? Be honest with yourself about the money you spend gambling. Add up the losses and bring the bill. Once you add up your losses after playing, list what you could have bought with lost money or other debts you could have paid off.
