Yep, for all the moralizing about sports gambling people on HN do, they sure love to prime their children for it.
It also just helped me understand the value of money, which to say has served me well is a massive understatement. Plus a real understanding of the fact that there's cons dressed up as fun, not everything is as it appears. It's okay to say 'no' to high pressure sales tactics.
But, again, we simply just didn't have room in the house for junk carnival prizes from a practical perspective.
Although it uses the same technology as gambling, it's for a different purpose. You aren't hoping to die, you are doing risk management for your family.
2.) Something being fun but expensive is skippable and it is good to be able to say "no" to expensive fun.