Closing down the biggest gambling hub wouldn't stop gambling in the country because gamblers will look for ways go continue their gambling activities, because gambling is part of human nature. The revenue that comes in to the government purse will not be there and such revenue can be use to develop the country. It's the government that is bringing more hardship to the country because shutting down this big gambling hub will affect both the government and citizens directly or indirectly.
Mate, read the context here. It isn’t just the country shutting down gambling hubs. They’re shutting down a gambling hub that has been used for other illicit activities.
It is not just a flimsy excuse to shut down this operation. It is genuinely harming the people of the country. We should try to be more informed considering that we do not know much about what is going in a country. Not everything is ill intentioned towards gambling.