We are the problem in so much it's very well known that psychologically conditioning tactics work on the human brain.

The real problem is a lack of education and regulation. People know regular casino gambling is a problem but governments act to make people aware and limit its harm. Meanwhile even rating agencies play coy about the effects of lootboxes in games rated for actual children. They try to argue that it's not "real gambling" because players can't officially redeem rewards as money, but it's exactly the same as far as the negative effects go, incentiving compulsive spending which can be financially damaging.

I'm not sure there is much intersection between PC & console gamers and social/casual gamers.

I can't speak for anybody else, I guess, but neither I nor any gamers I routinely interact with play these freemium/social/mobile type games. Like, at all.

I think that looking to ourselves and our habits for answers will not tell us much, as those gamers are not in our sphere of influence.