This really resonated with me because at first glance I feel that these gambling apps have almost no effect on me because I don’t gamble, but the fact that they can so effectively lure people you love who are less cynical, that’s rough.
If the person loses their first bet, and it's against another player, then not only have they potentially hooked in a new player but they also rewarded an active user.
If the person loses their first bet and it's against the house then they just attracted a potential new player while paying $0.