Gambling is part of Chinese culture. It is seen as the right way to test luck, especially on holidays like Chinese New Year, as well as to get rid bad luck.
What if they didn't win? Will they feel that their bad luck adds up? but it makes sense to use gambling to test luck because it's hard to win in gambling especially if you set the odds at a higher level. It is said that
chinese don't gamble for profit and for the entertainmentbut I think they can't avoid to get entertained during the proccess and if ever they win, I think they will also withdraw the money.
now I add that some people gamble to practice skills
That is if they are a professional gambler. It makes sense to practice using real money because that is more challenging than practicing using a demo version of the game. If you aren't a pro gambler, I don't think gambling can contribute on improving your skill.