I don't know how you guys connected this topic in a political point of view, but yeah, ALL politicians are selfish. They ran and secure themselves in the office for their own gain. Though, some may not be too obvious because they are doing their job well.
Gambling is one of the few vices that could potentially destroy one's life, career, and even family, but government had a hard time controlling it because it generates huge revenues. That means, huge pocket for the politicians too. So, educating gamblers like these kind of parades won't have any significant results in my opinion.
Most cases on most places on which government wouldnt really be banning out gambling for the sake of their citizens not unless if there's too much noise about gambling addiction and something uncontrollable on which this might be the time that they will be reconsidering on trying out to ban or completely be getting rid out of it. If it wasnt really that imposing any issues or huge concern into their vicinity then it will really be that impossible that they will be totally getting rid of it and as you do mentioned that it does bring out that huge revenue specially that they could milk it out in terms of tax on which if a certain countries does have corrupt officials then it is really that something that will really be that too interesting into their eyes and wont really be letting it slip. Although not all officials will really be having such approach on which there be still those who are doing their jobs on the right way. We do know on how taxes do really being used and having that huge share up in terms of tax because of gambling business revenue then this will really be that helpful in terms of development of a certain country or place. It do really just that only need that moderation and control so that they will really be able to avoid some potential problems later on.
Here I should note that any bans on gambling completely and finally by some laws written by government officials of these countries will not work simply because people always have such a need as to gamble. This is one of the pillars of social relations and banning it is like banning all people from breathing or drinking water. Nothing good will come out of such a ban. And governments should take this into account and simply adjust their policies so that gambling would be in a civilized form. Tax policy and counteracting possible fraud on the part of casinos - this is the optimal solution in regulating this issue.
My country really prohibits gambling but our country is one of the largest in the world with active gamblers especially online gambling therefore actually the ban imposed by the government in our country is not effective at all, unlike countries that legalize gambling, there are many facilities there (for active gamblers and gambling addicts who want to recover), it will never be a loss if a country legalizes gambling and makes wise rules about it so that there are no more victims of gambling addiction.
This requires state wisdom and political logic of the development of events based on public life. In particular, the legislative ban on gambling at the level of the entire country, as you write, is practically ineffective. And it would be more correct to cancel this ban. However, the audience of voters of politicians is such that this will immediately lower the rating of such a politician and give a reason for his criticism by opposition politicians and parties. And this innovator in the law may not be elected in the next elections. As a result, there is a situation like in your country. The ban on gambling is adopted by law, but in reality it is not implemented and no one is really responsible for failure to comply with the law. By the way, this is sometimes practiced deliberately. I would call it "suspended laws". And such laws are kind of decorative in nature and generally suit both the people interested in them and their opponents. This is a kind of social compromise.
And in your case, such regulation by laws banning gambling can continue for a very long time, literally decades. And not a single politician will dare to cancel them. But people will still gamble.