If you live within 50 miles of a casino, then  you're twice as likely to become a gambling addict.  This makes a lot of sense, but many people don't realize it.  Where I live, there's about three casinos within a reasonable driving distance from my house.  Even though I don't gamble, I've been there before.  Unfortunately my dad is a regular and it worries me.  He's told me recently that he doesn't plan on going back, because he realizes what a big waste of money it is, which I'm really glad about.  I can imagine him developing a gambling problem if he lived down the street from the casino.

there are like 5 by my house. me and my buddies use to go all the time when we turned 18, but now i refuse to step foot in that place. i lost way too much money and luckily i wasnt hooked on it yet.

I could see why, but it almost seems like you would get tired of going so you lose interest. I guess once someone gets hooked there is no turning back.

I had a friend who was totally hooked on gambling. She went everyday for 2 months straight. she won and lost but quit before her habit destroyed her financially. But she didn't have to try to quit or go through all those stages. She just simply found a new hobby. Its not a great one but better than gambling I guess. Her new phase is clubbing, 5 nights a week shes at the club dancing.