I played poker online, all over the uk and Europe.
I started small and worked my way up but used a strategy most gamblers forget to use, who h is bankroll management.
that always kept me in the black, account wise.
I earned some good money in the early 2000 from it but always knew my limits.
Age and family overtook the buzz of the game untill I was bored playing so called it a day.

Imo it like alcohol, drugs ect. If people don't have the willpower of self control the vice will overtake them and it's a downward spiral...