If I have a friend who a gambling addict, I will stay away against them and might cut off our relationship. Why? no one can change except themselves, if they're a good people they wouldn't become a gambling addict, as simple as that. So having a relationship with them might drag myself to become them or they will keep asking money because they already lose it for gambling.
It's a bit harsh to outright do this, but if this is what will work for you, then do it. Your mental health matters more than what other people will say.
But if I were in the situation, I will reach out and do my best to encourage my friend to get away from gambling and seek rehabilitation to completely disassociate himself in gambling. This way, I can show my concern as a true friend. I won't easily distance myself and rather try my best to let them be enlightened. For me, it's important that I at least got to try before completely giving up. That way, I can say I did what I can and will have no regrets such as having what if's and what could have been's.
It's true that they are the only one who can truly help themselves. But they also need guidance and support from those people that surround them. It's much motivating to recover if there are people cheering from you after all. Just learn to set boundaries of course. If you can't provide financial provision, then just give them moral support instead. Never ever lend them money because that's like tolerating their behavior.
Sometimes we are people who by taking care of ourselves in a moment can not distance ourselves from our true friends, I am one of those people who if someone needs me and I can help them, well I just do it, especially when it is in such a difficult situation difficult of an addiction, he needs support, he needs to be talked to, his mind to clear, to put things in his head where he does not allow him to think about gambling or doing similar things in a casino or making Sports bets , because he already has a developed mind, Maybe it's good to help a friend like that with something, maybe telling him that you're going to play soccer or something like that, maybe doing something that makes them happy, that's at least closer than that to helping a person who has an addiction. , then the things that can be done for these people are beautiful and to help I think that in the future will be given back but in other ways, let's remember that we are in a world where many times we do not understand things, but I know that things are beautiful , they bring good things.
In any of the cases, people are very constant with their actions, I have seen that some members of my own family are selfish with me, when in the end I have never been, and when they needed me, I gave them the help they needed. It was within my reach, even with money and everything, but when a person like them is cool, and they see that I teach something and that they have it or are doing something that can help me, they became silent, and that is interpreted by me as playing dirty, it's like seeing them climb to the highest point stepping on me when they could also help me climb, but like everything good is good, and brings good things, bad climbs bring bad things, they were able to climb but they came down in an impressive way, They are no longer at the top, the good thing about doing things well, especially with helping people, is that you Climb without trampling on Andie, and when you climb you don't slip, on the contrary you are still higher up.
