Compulsive gambling is a silent addiction.. You can't smell it or taste it, and you can't get in trouble unless you do something illegal.  Some women have landed themselves in prison after embezzling over $300,000.  One woman said, "She once drove home through all red lights, hoping someone would smash into her car."  A young mother in South Africa said, "I clearly remember walking out of the casino, hating myself and wishing I could die on the way home."  A woman in Australia wrote, "I spent my days and nights int he poker rooms with men; my husband and I dovorced, I lost my home, and pawned my car.  I wasn't ready to stop.  I continued to gamble for 12 more years and almost died.  I spent 8 months in prison and contemplated suicide."  The length women go in order to support their addiction suprises even them.  Some women have left infants in cars while they were gambling.  Some have prostituted themselves to feed their addiction.  One woman went to prison for robbing several banks.  Gambling addiction is not prejudiced.  It affects the rich, poor, young and old, and it knows no racial barriers.

I'd feel really sad if I knew my mom was spending all of her time at the casinos instead of being at home with the family.  But you're right, addiciton has no boundaries, it's a disease that everyone is at risk for. 

I knew this old lady who told me when she was younger she had a gambling problem. Her method of getting easy money was slamming on her breaks and getting cars to rear end her. She gets money for medical supplies and insurances usually give her the high price on her car. She would earn up to $6,000 just got gambling. I thought this was totally messed up and so did she. She kept telling me she was ashamed of the things she did and she regrets it big time. She hasn't gambled for 10 years though.

Wow that's pretty extreme.  She could be hurting other people too, who knows she didn't give someone health problems for the rest of their lives?  I'm glad she stopped doing this though, I'm sure her insurance company would've caught on eventually.