It's pretty heavily regulated (you won't really see any evidence of black-market bookmakers in the UK although presumably they do exist), and most bookmakers are pretty keen on "social responsibility". At least for the online bookies, there are algorithms which attempt to spot "problem" gamblers and attempt to manage them (eg by limiting how much they can deposit or bet or even by excluding them altogether) and I don't think you'll find a regulated bookie who you can end up in debt with (you need to deposit the money with them before you can bet - that's not to stop you from borrowing the money from elsewhere but there's little which the bookies can do about that).
I think the social stigma around betting is lifting a little in the UK, particularly in terms of the casual "I'm going to watch the match anyway, it'll be a bit more exciting if there's a bet riding on it as well" gambler. Celebrity endorsements probably help with that, as does sports sponsorship. I don't really know anything about professional gamblers, though.
I don't think anyone here in the UK thinks that the UK in general is mad about betting, but I could be wrong.
I agree that the UK being 'mad about betting' is a gross exaggeration, but bookmakers being 'keen on social responsibility' - other than as a figleaf - seems like an exaggeration in the opposite direction. In fact, betting shops appear to derive a lot of revenue basically from money-laundering:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/08/gambling-mach...
Money laundering potential is a particular problem for bookmakers, that's true. The big name ones really don't want bad press, though, which I imagine is where most of the social responsibility stuff comes in (as well as trying to protect problematic people from themselves).
I think the social stigma around betting is lifting a little in the UK, particularly in terms of the casual "I'm going to watch the match anyway, it'll be a bit more exciting if there's a bet riding on it as well" gambler. Celebrity endorsements probably help with that, as does sports sponsorship. I don't really know anything about professional gamblers, though.
I don't think anyone here in the UK thinks that the UK in general is mad about betting, but I could be wrong.
This is all entirely my own opinion...