You could spend less time but play with a higher amount, or you could spend more hours but spend less if you just want to enjoy.
It sounds like a superstition, for me it isn't really the amount of time but the amount of money that you spend which could lead or be the reason why they would call you a gambling addict.
The amount of time spent gambling does have an effect. That doesn’t mean the amount of money used in playing doesn’t count. Both the time spent in playing and the money spent are both important to look out for whenever you’re playing.
When you’ve spent more time playing than already planned, there is a high probability that you’ll also spend more money than you bargained for. If you spend more time playing, you’re also likely to spend more money that you didn’t plan to spend as well. It’s that simple. Best to set a time and perhaps an amount limit and stick to it.