Moral panic is unrelated to games having addictive elements.
A better comparison would be how retro games would be designed for you to die/lose over and over because they were based on arcade dynamics, where the customer has to keep putting in quarters to continue playing.
It's no substitution, but for anybody who can afford $25 here or there, maybe consider giving micro loans. I use kiva.org. Over the years, I've lost maybe $5 or so through currency exchange rates changing, while I've helped a good few people/communities.
I think it was more about the size and quantity than it was about them being pickles.