For people like me, who gamble once in a while for purely entertainment purposes, we have strict limits on money that could be spent for this purpose. The last time I visited a casino was in 2019. And regarding sportsbooks, I make a bet once in a week or so, but with moderate amounts (like BTC0.001 or BTC0.002). For compulsive gamblers, that is not the case. They think about gambling 24x7, which makes it impossible to adhere to strict limits. For such people, unless they can distract their mind by engaging in some other activity, there is no hope for redemption.
The problem is that not everyone has the same control as you plus this compulsive gamblers doesn't really have that much control over their urges, I understand that they try but the urge is just strong and you can't just say to them to stop when they want to because again, it's not in their control.
Most people see gambling as an easy way to make money and this thought makes them lose what they already have. You click one button, you either double your money or lose it all. The easiest way to make or lose money. It doesn't take any skills, it doesn't any work, it only takes a second. That's why it is appealing to many people.
Many people test their luck by playing gambling games but most of them lose their money in just one chance. But that will not stop them from testing their luck in the next days because they will think that their luck will come to them the next days. The gambling games really attract and seduce them to come back to gambling and use more money to gamble.
You are right, years ago, when I was barely 18 years old, I went to a casino, and had some money saved, but I did not know how to bet, suddenly I bet everything I had and lost it, I felt so frustrated that I had to return home and looking for more money, all that I had and I returned to the casino to continue gambling, I lost it again.
At that moment I understood that everything I was doing was wrong, the worst thing was looking for more money to lose it, what I learned is that you should not seek revenge, then later what I did was return to the casino with another vision, and I was not looking for big profits, only small profits and that was what I was satisfied with, I think that's what it's all about, making profits even if they are few, in the end it is better to win than to lose.