Additionally one of the things that creates compulsive gambling is the mentality of some gamblers believing that they could get rich through gambling and this believe system push them to occupy their mindset with gambling thoughts or strategies on how to make big and better wins which end up making them obsessed with it that it tears them apart at every loss.
The keyword is being obsessed on the thinking that they will eventually get rich in gambling. Normal gambler do have some mentality that they can get rich if they got lucky especially in lottery. I do not think that there is problem on that as long as they have control in their gambling activity. Being obsessed does the trick since being in an obsessed condition removes the rational thinking of a normal mind. They will do anything just to make their obsession come true and in gambling, it means they will gamble all they have to take chance of getting rich which somehow triggers compulsive gambling.
There is a difference between having the natural desire of winning which we all have and being obsessed with it, the obsession part is what gets people in trouble as when they do not win instead of simply accepting as part of the results they could get and move on, they think they are owed a win and they try their luck once again and again until they win, and in the case of the lottery a person could spend all their life playing and never win it.
In other words, what you are talking about is chasing after losses, i do agree with you, too much of everything in life is bad, and that also includes the desire to win or succeed, when the desire becomes too much, it turns into desperation, and when one is desperate, such individual can go to any length to get what they want, not minding whether what they are doing is right or wrong.
Desperation for things have landed many to prison, some have been meet with early death while some gamblers who were desperate for a win are now wallowing in chronic gambling addiction with no ability to help themselves, this is for those that maybe realized that they are addicted though.
So it is very important that we watch it when the desire to achieve things or some kind of result hit up, never allow yourself to become desperate, desperation is what drives gamblers into chasing after their losses.