the profit made using these machines is used by the military for their own programs so the money just goes back to them but it raises a few questions. first of all, how ethical it is to put slot machines in an environment where the tension, risk and stress are high? these soldiers undergo intense mental training trying to fight off traumatic experiences and loneliness away from their families and home. are these machines making them a lot more vulnerable to addiction?
On the contrary, I think the slot machines are neccessary to serve as a form of relaxation for the soldiers to ease off all the tensions and mental stress from performing their national duties. You can call it a distraction and I totally agree with you; it will be distracting them from those trauma.
If you are concerned about some soldiers being addicted, I don't see how it is possible. As far as I know, the military are one disciplined and coordinated group of people. The military environment is so coordinated with every activity well scheduled. The soldiers will only have time to gamble when they are free to gamble. It is not like they'll will spend every minute of their time everyday gambling. Moreover, the money they would win is not for themselves as gamblers. The chances of addiction are very low.