The same can be said about MMORPGS. I knew many people from highschool that never graduated because of this addiction.
More people need to take personal responsibility for their decisions. Many people gamble and are not addicted.
I used to play poker with a group of local friends. It started off friendly enough ($50 tournaments). They started playing a lot of cash games and the table stakes got crazy (e.g. $1k+ hands). Needless to say, I left that group behind.
It's a matter of personal discipline. If you can't afford to throw the money out the window, you shouldn't be playing. I play because I enjoy the game and the company of friends.