I also thought the same way you expressed your attitude, even though I did not start gambling, I joined the gambling community. The main reason for this may be intrinsic or extrinsic, but overall I think gambling is for enjoyment and the desire to win. You will not feel any fun in free bets as you do in exchange for money. Whether you win or lose, waiting for the result or mentally putting yourself in an undesirable situation can be thrilling every time through gambling.
You are right that most gamblers do not play for the purpose of research, they play randomly. They do not have much of an attitude to gain experience because they believe that gambling is a game of luck and research may be a waste of time. But they are immersed in mistakes. There will be losses in the game for the enjoyment of gambling and there will be a desire to win. If you keep winning alone, you will not get the real taste of gambling.