A pathological gambler becomes addicted to the thrill of betting larger and larger amounts of money and greater risk-taking - often with catastrophic results.
It is a similar pattern of behaviour that we see with those addicted to alcohol or legal or illegal drugs - with many losing control, exhibiting compulsive behaviours and living in denial of their problems. Other addictions will commonly run hand-in-hand with pathological gambling - drugs and alcohol are often used as an emotional crutch to lean on to cope with the anxiety of living with gambling problems.
As you would expect, with so many people suffering from such issues, there have been great advances in treatments for pathological gambling, so your concerns can be addressed and resolved smoothly by discreet professionals with the highest level of evidence-based treatments at their experienced fingertips.