Mate, dont consider the government in this. They are only interested in how much taxes you pay - that includes gambling and any substance abuse that you might get into while addicted to gambling and drowning in the sorrow.

So they will never try to teach you to live on your own and control your habits but always appear to help you. What the gambler needs is self-control and even though most gambling tend to relapse, they can control themselves with little help. If they are lucky enough to have a supporting family then it is even better.

So the next generation would be safer if they learnt these things on their own or we take the onus to teach them about the good and bad.