[rrsmtz]

Businesses and the free market are not an inherent good; they exist for the benefit of people and not the other way around.

Gambling companies, drug dealers, and scammers share a business model that is only profitable when preying on the vulnerable (and causing more suffering in the world), yet they hide behind the excuse that it’s up to the individual to self-regulate.

The people that can self-regulate are not their target audience! Their “tactics” are engineered to take advantage of the vulnerable, and not your average person. And they get away with it because of the American self-centered individualist mindset.

[Brusco_RF]

Allow me to play devils advocate. If a consenting adult wants to blow their whole paycheck at the casino, who are you to stop them? The casino did not trick or coerce the gambler. The rules are known and unchanging. According to the principles of freedom, you can't interfere with what two consenting parties agree to on their own. Why do you get to insert yourself in this transaction?

[kthejoker2]

First, of course the casino "tricked" them, they literally manipulate their senses (visual, audio, temporal, spatial), they are Skinner boxes controlled by the opertaor.

Second, addiction suggests lack of full consent.

And clearly there are negative externalities to such a choice. That person may have a family, other debts they don't pay, may make poorer life choices as a result of blowing their paycheck , may choose violence or drugs or self-harm ... most of which will cost taxpayers and other third parties.

[jowea]

Nobody is an island. I would guess that the vast majority of cases of "blow their whole paycheck at the casino" is going to lead to some problem that society is going to have to solve afterwards.

[d_sem]

This is not a devils advocate because in your hypothetical you already defined the gambler was a fully consenting, which is in alignment with the persons comment you replied to.

A more accurate devils advocate could be one who suggest that forms of manipulation and coercion should be allowed because its physically possible in reality to do so.

[pharrington]

How about you just don't go out of your way to predictably, deliberately make people's lives worse just so you can make a buck?

[affinepplan]

should it also be illegal to hire attractive bartenders?