People want money fast. I have work for bookmakers and online casino's. Clients don't take into account the risk, all they look for is the reward. Another classic version of this is lotto - everyone fantasizes about winning millions overnight.
Horse racing is very popular as is sport. To be honest I do not mind that type of wagering, if it is done in a controlled environment and for fun.
Poker machines on the other hand are a degenerative cancer that will suck more money, the more you play. I have examples here in Australia of people who have lost >$2m in 6 months on machines. All they are is a licence to print money as they are set to take between 7-12% of revenue based on turnover.
yeah that seems very problematic
especially now that youths are getting into online gambling and sports betting
these habits will be hard to break if they're too in grained into our culture