The real problem was inequality, so the game was growing and money was circulating via games bet and industry to support those bettors.   However at this time the players themselves were being left nonsalaried and yet they invest alot of time into the regular gameplay and eventually game results that are part of the betting scene.    It was a kind of mistake that was visited on the players in massive consequences for choosing the easier path of throwing games.  If they had more patience and waited for proper revenue streams to establish and teams with regular pay they would have possibly made a million by now.  Instead they gained something like 20k tops, a quick buck.