>>jimbob+(OP)
I believe things would improve if we raised kids explaining them that the house always wins. It's a rigged game. Most people can't predict outcomes better than picking randomly and that way they are guaranteed to lose money because of the margins the bookies have. So if you know that you can play for fun from time to time, but not get in over your head.
But then I remember that so many are counting on the fact that people will stay uneducated so they can rip them off.