Betting is a very big business, right from many years ago.
I remember watching the series 'Peaky blinders' and I was amazed at the intricacies and behind the scenes of betting.
At the surface, betting looks easy. This team should win this team because they have so so player or so so coach. They have also been playing well of recent, until you stake your money.
Peaky blinders made me understand that the reason your bet worked is because it would not cost the bookies so much to settle all those who played the same thing as you. But the bookie is not playing a hobby, he is in business and as such is eyeing his profits. Once the chance presents itself, he will turn the market around, just like Thomas Shelby does in the movie.
Now, "I would not say make betting illegal" because I have seen people get huge amounts of money to solve problems (or loose it in another bet). I have also seen people who lost everything to bet. I have personally benefitted from gambling.
Gamblers have a lot of quotes that motivate them. I play bet occasionally, very rarely. The last time being about a month ago but before then there was an eight months hiatus.
One of the popular quote is "you gotta play a bet everyday, cos you never know which day is your lucky day".
With such saying, it is difficult to quit betting.
I don't consider myself special but I have great level of control. I have won some and lost too but financially speaking alone, I am in the positive. But I know that bet involves more than just finances.
The problem with betting is the popularity and good publicity it gets.
Imagine your reputable celebrities all advertise betting platforms with their own promo code.
It gives the illusion to the average person that even the celebrities bet and a few would even think such celebrities made it through betting.
Another fraud in betting is the sharing of games by so called 'punters' these people disguise and pretend to have made sooo much from betting and occasionally show off winnings that encourage even those that had doubts.
Then they share a code and people think they are going to make it just like the bet influencer, it is afterall his own code, direct from the expert.
But this is a scam, with a near success syndrome that gives the gambler a hope, he blames the referee for being partial, the game should have played if not for the referees decision in dying minute, etc.
He turns on post notifications so as not to miss the next games which the punter will drop and so it continues till he is financially, mentally and emotionally drained, he does not have money to play the new game which the punter announced, neither does his gambling friends. Those who have some money left have lost faith in this punter, they don't stake big again and some don't stake at all.
Boom, the punter wins after about 5 months without a win, those who staked low only got a few dollars, it doesn't compensate for all their losses. Those who didn't stake at all are in regrets.
Motivational quotes begin to fly around, "the power of consistency" etc
It's all a scam, don't fall for it.
Even if betting is not made illegal. Advertisements for gambling apps and platforms should be banned, bet influencing should not be a thing. Let those who want seek it out and make their choices, they would most likely loose but let it be their choice.
But I know it won't be banned, why? Because the government is making so much money from these businesses and when has any government ever been people centred? Never!