So for the problem of whether gambling can have a bad impact or not, it actually depends on how you treat the activity, not everyone ends up in poverty just because they are involved in gambling and usually they are gamblers who understand the concept of gambling and realize that gambling is a risky activity so they walk with great caution.
That's what I usually tell most folks that gambling is all about the way you approach it . If you approach it responsibly your losses would be minimise, because such individual wouldn't go beyond his budget rather stick to it .
But those that are gambling recklessly will always endup ruining themselves because of their approach to gambling, most of them usually go beyond their budgets,using money they can't risk to gamble, putting themselves in debt all in the name of trying to get rich quick through gambling.
But the fact is that there are indeed many gamblers who misunderstand what and how gambling really is, many of them are wrong in responding to gambling so of course this ignorance or misunderstanding will lead them to the wrong approach that makes them trapped in a slump.