(Maybe not so) Interestingly gambling industry don't attract much heat as the tobacco/oil companies do. I think pharma companies are a bit different than the other two and they are already controlling us indirectly.

Oil is only evil because the west has to buy it from the east. Not because it is bad for environment and shit. Tobacco is evil probably because it increases the healthcare spending which is good for the big pharma.

It is always about money as a wise man once said.

Gambling?

Gambling don't increase healthcare spending, it is not a commodity which the west don't have, it doesn't have a direct relationship with human health like pharma companies...

As a consequence, they noticed that is the perfect business that has a highly addictive product that prints money.

They only give licenses who they want to or put any price they want on the licence, punish the casinos with no licenses... As you see, governments all around the world are the biggest partners of the casino industry. Brilliant.