An anthropologist might say that there are solid reasons to lose money in casinos, especially if you are wealthy. For example, if you're having trouble getting laid, somewhere where you can flaunt your disposable income without wearing a sign saying "I am flaunting my disposable income" might be helpful. Casinos fit the bill. The bottom line from a biological perspective is (sort of but not exactly) getting laid, so that would be one reason to be a "ploppy." Or maybe you need to impress your compadres with your James Bond style of entertainment, or bond with other one-percenters somewhere other than a golf course, and losing bucks in casinos accomplishes that. Another possibility -- dumping some bucks might be a way to take a mental break from whatever you're doing so as to come back refreshed.

Of course, since most forms of gambling are addictive, doing any of these things entails risk. You start out taking a mental break and wind up like Bill Bennett, morality czar and Fox News expert.

Basically, it comes down to this. All resources are not material. So if you can win non-material resources (Bond suaveness, respect from business partners, high public profile, getting laid, etc.) while losing material resources (your cash), the tradeoff could conceivably work in your favor. In my opinion, there are easier ways to acquire non-material resources than dumping cash to casinos, but for some people it may be the best option. Chubby old dudes, for example, may not be all that impressive in 3K suits, so rather than investing in hot clothes, perhaps taking their dates or business partners to casinos is a better idea.