You're not one of these "it's a disease" apologists are you?
I just don't believe pokies something that people can handle unless they are very educated on what pokies are, and even then people would get addicted. Its essentially machine that trains you to keep using it.
Addictions persist because your brain tells you that you *need* more of that substance, or activity. Similar to telling you that you need more food or sex. I'm not highly informed about it so I can't describe it much better than that unfortunately, I could be overstating it a little but I cbf looking it up (sorry).
I do agree that anyone who gets addicted to pokies, drugs, or alcohol has made bad decisions, and I'd probably describe them as an idiot. However, 90% of people are idiots. I was an idiot yesterday, and I'll probably think the present me was an idiot tomorrow. Some people are really selfish or low IQ, but most idiots are just coming from different experience.
It takes a bad decision to end up addicted to something, but think of the worst decisions you've made and they are probably tied to being depressed, scared, or on some kind of high. E.g I can remember saying some pretty stupid things to my first ex after she dumped me a few years ago, but I was literally bat-shit insane for a week or so there. As they say "Its easy to get the right answer while watching at home".
Sorry for getting a bit ranty there, and honestly I'm not even sure what you mean by "it's a disease apologist". I just believe that everyone makes mistakes, and they are quite often just that. If you try and **** someone else over and it comes back on you, then I'd enjoy it, but people who just panic or are misinformed don't really deserve bad karma.