So I heard a story of some acquaintances that in their friend group, some person really got addicted recently.
At first it was just fun and game, they would sit together and play some slots together in a big screen with some 10€ or so for as much as this would last them with small stake spins. And this is something they would do on big occasions. Only when together as a group and only for big days like birthday parties etc.
But the thing is, unbeknownst to them, one person in their friend group was really compulsive. So in the course of a few months, he became really addicted. He would spend much of his own money from his salary on slots and sports betting, eventually losing most of it regularly every month. Then on nearly every get together he would ask his friends to chip in so they can play slots this time in his account. Every time asking for more significant amounts too.
This guy hasn't caused any trouble to his friends but it's a worrying situation to see him waste most of his salary every month... So now the other guys were contemplating to quit their poker playing hobby because it was really affecting their friend negatively. And they had a somewhat regular get-together to play poker with very small stakes just for the fun of it. It's a petty that they might have to abandon their poker games but to them it's either that or abandoning their friend and worsening his compulsion.
Would you do the same for a friend? Me personally I think I would have just confronted such a friend and told them to seek help instead of me altering my lifestyle for his benefit. If they didn't seek help to the point that it was affecting me I would've just stopped hanging out with them silently I think. A friend would've had to be a real good one to make an exception at least.
For support, sure, i wouldn't drag them to casinos or play in front of them, i wouldn't quit, because me playing is not the issue. And if they didn't know, how it would hurt them? Even though i can't imagine any of my friends wanting that even if they wanted to quit. They don't think their friends are dropping their lives for them as they don't see themselves as main characters of the world, that somehow others are owing everything. If my friend wanted that, i would seriously support them in any way possible, but i would seriously ponder what kind of friends they were, if they thought they would be so entitled that they can ask that.
Because it's not like drinking, as we don't only see in casinos, or gambling related events, nor we talk much about gambling. It's very easy for me to do other stuff with them, like go to swimming, shopping, walking and talking and even composing music and visioning new projects. I wouldn't hang out with friends who have only gambling in their life, as that would probably make my addiction worse as well. I gamble mostly privately, and sometimes play poker in the group, but that's it.