I don't know about you, but whenever it comes to prohibiting things or that a government implements them, I think it unleashes in people a unique sense of irreverence, where they don't pay attention to them, much less respect them, that is, if something is prohibited and that something has to be with money and it is a way that people can acquire money more easily despite the risk, I think no one will abide by them, at least that is how it is in my country, but the rulers of my country are quite "special" so people always look for a way to avoid everything that is prohibited, because despite the fact that they have many shortcomings, the fact that they say no to money they do not accept.
I think other countries are just trying to look good to their citizens in order to get another mandate for the next 4 years to rule the country.By doing so they have huge benefits as we know not a single country in the world is free from corruption even Islamic ones which in theory should be.So they sometime use this excuse of banning gambling in order to save society from a huge evil plague that is gambling.From what I have seen this is working in countries where people don't like gambling and the ruling party which implemented such ban got another vote to run the country for 4 years,including where I live now in Western Balkans.
I think you said something wrong. Each country has different laws and regulations from other countries. every policy in making decisions concerning prohibitions in the law is not taken based on carelessness, let alone just wanting to look good to its citizens and to get a mandate.
Examples of religious countries, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, in some of these countries the applicable law is based on religious references. and certain religious rules prohibit gambling activities, apart from that every prohibition in a country will not necessarily always be obeyed by the people as well as cases of corruption as you said. so what you say is wrong and not true.
With regard to the countries that take religion very seriously, I think that this is a more delicate case, each country and its people can be given due to their religion and that is something that is respected, it is something else, which, It is very difficult to enter into a discussion, because customs, religions and everything that has to do with politics are sensitive issues, and anything that is said can be taken as an offense, since these types of countries are used to not do certain things, and I think the laws are much tougher than in any other country when they go against it.