I doubt if the father's decision is related to him already having wealth, cause from the look of things they are a poor family struggling to even survive. Some of us have such fathers, growing up from a home where every penny you acquire the source is been questioned just to make sure it's not gotten from the wrong source deviant to their religious faith. I bet this boy's father is one of those religious fanatics that sees gambling as a devilish venture and abhors it's in all ramifications.

For the boy to be able to gamble then he must have clocked 18+ and should embark on his life journey with that money, investing in his future cause his father has lived his own youthful life and shouldn't coerce him on how to live  especially when such money can take him out of poverty . Opportunities don't happy on a daily .