The Unseen Profits in Vice Industries
Let’s be honest, we all see the headlines. Flashing lights from new casinos, slick branding from cannabis companies, and endless debates from politicians about the moral fabric of society. It’s all very dramatic. But if you ask me, the real story, the one where the smart money might be flowing, is happening far from the cameras. It’s happening in the background, in the decidedly unglamorous world of the companies that provide the plumbing for these so called vice industries.
I’ve always been a fan of the old “picks and shovels” play. During the gold rushes of the 19th century, who made the most reliable fortunes? It wasn’t the poor souls panning for gold in freezing rivers, hoping to strike it rich. No, it was the chaps selling them the pans, the pickaxes, and the sturdy denim trousers. They profited from the rush itself, not the speculative hunt for a single nugget. The same logic, I think, applies today.