LOL Ren, whilst the game in financial terms may eat into our wallets, IMHO it is terrific fun and entertainment, especially when playing with friends. Value for money in my book and as you say, you can't put a price on friendships . Tell your lads to give it another go, they may just get hooked too
Safer and cheaper than most other forms of entertainment, and worst case scenario is a WGT addiction lol. I am sure there are some support groups out there!