How does Zynga hunt for whales?

> "Depending on your game, it can be anywhere between 70% and 90% of all revenue coming from your VIP base."

It's interesting that this plays out in these free-to-play games in the same way it does in other vice industries. I was really shocked a few years ago when I read something similar about the alcohol industry - https://www.the-american-interest.com/2014/10/05/the-alcohol..., where similar dynamics play out. “If the top decile somehow could be induced to curb their consumption level to that of the next lower group (the ninth decile), then total ethanol sales would fall by 60 percent.”

Maybe this is just how all industries work? It's hard to know without looking at individuals whether these whales are big spending because they have a lot of money, or if they're burning through credit cards and spending their kids lunch money.

Here in the UK we have legalised gambling, which the industry tries very, very hard to portray as being an average person spending a small amount once in a while. I imagine the truth is a lot more sinister. Is prohibition the answer? Or just a quick fix that doesn't deal with the underlying problems.

Wow, Zynga still exists?? I honestly thought they'd vanished years ago.