I can’t absolve you or anything, and this is just my opinion, but as I see it small stakes gambling is not sinful. If you are gambling away your kids’ milk money or something, or if you have an addiction, that’s different. But if someone chooses to spend $50 gambling vs. $50 bowling, as a form of entertainment, I don’t see a great deal of difference. I think the bowling is mentally and spiritually healthier for a person because it doesn’t appeal to the vice of greed, but not by a major amount. I buy a lottery ticket a few times a year (when it gets really high and I notice it), so yeah, there is an element of greed, but not out of control.
OTOH, those who prey on gamblers are evil in my book. They prey on and encourage human greed (and worse desperation for those who can least afford to lose money) and spread misery to those who are lacking in self-control. If I were in charge, we would not have casinos and we certainly wouldn’t have government sponsored lotteries. But a neighborhood poker game or an office football pool (low stakes, neither going to hurt anyone or make them rich) is something that should be left alone by the government.
JMO, YMMV