Questions about example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Hotbed"

A: A hotbed is used by gardeners to start plants growing. The soil is enriched with fertilizers.

But it more commonly used as a metaphor to describe an environment which promotes the growth of something, especially something unwelcome.

The frequent clashes of the residents with police turned the neighborhood into a hotbed of social unrest.
The university became a hotbed for radical political theory, and students began to protest against the administration.

A: × Places that you can go gambling could be hotbeds of crime or fraud because people who go to those kinds of places regularly have a tendency to be already addicted to gambling and they are Vulnerable to crimes or frauds that can make up for the money that they lost
✓ Places that you can go gambling could be hotbeds of crime or fraud because people who go to those kinds of places regularly have a tendency to be gambling addicts, so they are more inclined to commit fraud or other crimes to make back the money that they lost.