May be straightforward, IMHO, if you are asking this, you probably already know that you’re either an addict or are in the early stages of becoming one. A hobby is a hobby when you can say no and opt for other things. If you find that you can’t do that, I advise you to take measures.
Frankly speaking, I was about to comment that your hobby is harmless as long as you earn that much. Until I got to the part where you mention you’re married. Commitments are a serious thing, and the fact that you’re spending so much time away from your significant other may be problematic. The hobby in itself is not a problem, and something makes me think your wife is of the same opinion, since she wasn’t against your games when you were doing it with friends. In my opinion, an addiction forms when you begin to plan your life around your dependence, like in your case you’re spending always only Sunday together with your wife. If your hobby begins to take away from people that should be your priority, then I think it’s a problem.
Poker is always enjoyable when you’re winning. I place myself, once a week at most. I suppose you need to answer one question honestly: do you think you’re missing out on time with the person you love when you choose to go to the casino after work instead of going home? Any feelings of guilt? Do you obsess over future games? Are you unable to stop going there for a month or two? If you answer any or all of these question positively, I’d say you need counseling.
Have you talked to your wife? Why she’s so upset with this new development. Sometimes the issue is not what it appears to be on the surface, and you playing poker may only be part of it
I’d trust your gut more than internet strangers. If you feel you can’t control your desire to play , then the answer to your question is that you might have developed a gambling addiction. See if you can go back to playing with the people you know, and doing it less frequently.
In my experience, the line between being interested in something and being addicted to something is very thin. The test is simple: if it affects your relationship negatively, then don’t do it. You need to figure out whether poker can remain only a hobby, in that case you should be able to stop playing for a significant amount of time. It sounds like limiting time for playing doesn’t really work for you, as you want to spend more evenings playing. That’s a red flag to me. Perhaps you should talk to a therapist who specializes in gambling addictions, to be sure.
@_whatever No offense, mate, I really don’t feel like discussing specifically my family relationships. I only wonder if people think my hobby can be an addiction or not. Poker is a big part of my life, but I’ve never played in casinos before. My wife thinks you can never win at a casino...
@GoldenHand No offense taken. I didn't mean to sound nosey.
Whether you’re winning or losing is not that important. You say yourself that money has never been the key factor for you. Can you avoid going to a casino and return to online playing? That way, you’ll spend more time at home with your partner.
@_whatever No way, I won’t go back to online poker. I never liked it even when playing with my friends. I enjoy holding real cards and talking to real people.
Not an expert, but sounds like a minor addiction to me. As someone already suggested above, I strongly recommend you to take a break and see if your desire to play comes out of passion or if it’s a gambling addiction. If you can go home and enjoy your life for one-two months and then return to playing poker every once in a while only for the fun of it, then you’re good.
Poker addiction isn't always easy to identify and there are many people out there who are losing money on regular basis.
You need to take a break and see if you are addicted. Swap poker with some other activity which can give you the same thrill but is not harmful.