My STBXAH is also a compulsive gambler. When I met him he was active in AA, seemed like a really good guy with a great job, we had fun, etc. I had a great life, lots of friends, good job, my own condo....he too told me that I was a great influence on his life, the best thing to ever happen to him, he was the happiest he'd ever been. It wasn't until after we were married for a year that I discovered his addiction to gambling and the web of lies that was woven through our entire relationship. He tried going to GA, didn't like it, thought he could stop on his own, relapsed twice, lost two jobs...finally, all trust and respect I had for him is gone. We will be divorced on Tuesday. I thought that would be a wakeup call for him. I found out yesterday that he's back gambling, and has been for a while. This has been a devastating two years of my life - both financially and emotionally/physically/spiritually. Gambling addiction is very difficult to beat (although not impossible), and it can literally bankrupt you in one night. I had no idea what I got myself into. That's just my personal experience.
I don't mean to be a downer, but please be very careful. Actually - what I want to write is RUN. You can do better.