[CaptainCrunch]

Well, I cannot be definitive, but I've had a large number of chinese friends who've made some statements regarding gambling, plus I've made some observations. Evidently gambling is much touted (at least amongst the chinese they knew) as "relaxation" and was nearly the primary goal of most vacations.
My observation is that chinese culture is steeped in "luck", Feng Sui, i ching, and other measures to control the forces of probability that are exerted on one's life and family. (But then what culture doesn't do that to some extent. Ever cross your fingers?) The colors red and gold are known to bring prosperity to one, hence they are all over most chinese businesses. As are auspicious numbers. They avoid one pronunciation of the number 4, as it is synonimous to the word for "death" and as such, is bad luck. Luck is a big factor in prosperity, and I think that is percieved as being more influenceable than perhaps many western cultures. So it follows that gambling would be very attractive as a passtime, luck and prosperity hand in hand...

thats my guess, based on some idle conversations and observations of friends and their families.