Let's start with the simple choice: Do you consider yourself to have a gambling problem affecting your happiness, security, relationships, finances, etc? (Yes or No)
Now, here is something a bit different: Do you have a "gambling problem" which you can sometimes control for years? Either you make enough income to call it "adult play", so you do not have real problems, and/or you simply stop for a long time. Then - months or years later - it gets worse again and you are in trouble.
(First question was above)
(Second question) Either way, when it's time to stop, how exactly do you do it? (For example) Change other habits, go new places, exercise more, stop drinking, simply "swear off" gambling... How exactly do you stop? Thank you.
Your questions are funny, and so are the solutions thereof. My answer is No for the first and second parts but I know some people who are positive to both. My own, what is helping me in gambling is that I was a full adult before I started it, and when I started, I wasn't this person that believed that I would make huge money through gambling, so my mind has never been on the money and has never been engrossed towards the gambling itself. This happened until 2013 when I had a friend who worked as a lotto agent, the regular visiting of this guy got me playing more and later was addicted to it, and I must say that I was indeed addicted and somewhat shifted my stance on it and wanted to earn a little amount from gambling even as it had been swallowing my money. But sadly, I couldn't no matter how I tried. It was after a while that I decided not to play it again, and that was it all. You can see that the "willpower" was there. This is what I want every gambler to work on, not all these common educations and preferences of some therapists that people often repeat when they write on similar situations. They don't work for most addicts.
Swear off, many had done it times without a number but still returned to gambling.
Stop drinking, for what? I simply don't know how my drinking and gambling habits tally, maybe for a few people though, but for me, drinking even makes me forget what I do not want to do.
Exercise, this is naturally good, but I don't still see how it helps in gambling as well. It is for muscle relaxation or what? I better find another hobby, stay out longer and get occupied more instead of all these.