Not necessarily Richy, think of it as having the boys over for a big game and you have big money on that game, you are still being social and it may even get exciting if you are winning..
Gambling can be social at times.. Vegas is social in a big nutshell..
Now if you are a degen and dialed in on the juice it's tunnel vision.. That is all you will be focusing on.. Nothing else matters.. Then you aren being anti-social.. Or you are living a double life and being social but not really there around other people and score board watching out the corner of your eye..
Lastly if you are compulsive you probably won't be taking care of yourself physically, you would rather watch a games and sit around.. You'd rather be alone if you loaded up then go out with a chick on a date and spend..Gambling is trip when you break it down..
I could go on and on.. I've been gambling for 25 years now consistently. Had a best friend almost lose his marriage and life to it and then rebound enormously after going to GA, he's worth 15 million today, was broke and renting a boat on a dock with a community bathroom at his lowest point.. He still has the itch today though he told me...
I have gambling buddies that make money off it to and hold jobs.. Light weights though, Etc...
It's a trip when you break it all down. I could probably write a book on it.. It's kinda like recreational drug or alcohol, if you abuse it and take it to far you are toast, reel it in and really try and work it you may just make a buck or two!!