1. I picture the following: one of the first potential franchisees knocks on Ray Kroc's door and asks him “Please don't take my question personally, but why don't you develop your business gambling your own money, like White Castle Fast Food Network has been doing since 1921?”

On the boulevard where I live, 4,500 miles away from your home, Mr Steinberg, there are 3 McDonalds units that pay taxes to everyone, including USA government. From this reality I reason that Ray Kroc's answer to the above question was pretty satisfying.

2. Mr. Steinberg writes: ... a finding that people would rather own the casino than be the gambler? That people would rather be the CEO than the hourly worker?

I find it normal that the simple worker dreams of becoming CEO, and the gambler to become the owner of the casino. In their own realities, their path to achieving this is blocked by either the stock holders committee or the banks refusing financing him/her if his/her plans aren't viable.

For the dishonest franchiser, the franchisee has lawyers, consultants, regulators, BlueMauMau and the cousin that says “no” to the franchisees plans!

NB: the discussion described by me in the first part couldn't have taken place, because Niel Fox, the first McDonalds franchisee signed the agreement in 1953, one year before Ray Kroc met the two brothers.