Ah, your argument..... is sadly full of rationalistic fallacies.
Let me expand your argument and see if you can spot the problem:
What is the point of watching movies? they are pure visual thrill and we learn nothing from them. Are a complete waste of time.
What is the point of buying / reading classics/literatrure? Sure they were written in the Romantic Era and sure they are enlightening to read, but the net effect on our Practical Life is zero.
What is the point of eating Junk food? sure it tastes amazing but we would be infinitely better off eating only healthy food?
What is the point of our lives? We are born, eat sleep ,and work away our lives doing the same thing men have done before us and will do after. How many of us will go on to achive anything meaningful?
See the pattern? If you go down that path of "Gaming is meaningless and Money into dustbin" then there is no end to similar things we do in our lives.
Secondly, I Disagree, gaming is very usefull given the right conditions. Gaming is what hooked me to the PC in the first place, exponentially expanding my interest in Tech to the point where I got the highest marks in University in IT without even studying for any exam. Not only that but I can write articles on Gaming and earn a good buck. Gaming is only as meaningless as YOU make it. Not only that, gaming has been proven to improve the Human Psychology of the masses. The psyche of the children of the 21st century has been scientifically proven to be changing due to the Internet and Games, for the better. I believe one thought pattern was called Associative thinking.
So no, you are welcome to your own opinion but stating it as fact is a fallacy in itself.
As for the actual question. I partially financed it before (Eidis and stuff) and now fully finance it.
I would disagree on calling it as 'recreational desires'. If your parents funded for a PC than take the optimistic approach, PC is not meant for gaming in first place but is, in reality, a highly productive tool.
Majority of under 18 are (with apologies) disillusional beings, they never realize the importance of time and money. Parents on the other hand fund into PC thinking that they will benefit from this valuable tool. Instead they (including me) spent most of the time beating about the bush and gaining practically nothing out of it.
Now coming back to recreational desires, I would say work is more fun than fun. From my own perspective and gaming since 1990. That's 23 years of gaming. I have concluded there is nothing worth in gaming. It's complete waste of your time/abilities/money/personality, Makes you isolated and normal people label you as nerd or someone not worth spending time with.
Gaming is a waste of intellect. It teach you nothing.
All of the above applies when you make gaming your life's goal.
BUT. Gaming is pure fun. Fun comes after achievements, as little as they can be or to take you off from hectic routine and stress.
From here you need to differentiate between a hobby and drug or profession. Professional gamers (Starcraft 2) earn by playing games. As a hobby you spend on it when you can and you don't need to answer to anyone for that. Now when gaming becomes a drug, every penny either coming from your own hardwork or from parents is a waste of time/money.
Now back to topic. Who funds your gaming. Well that depends what importance is gaming in your life. If it's just for fun than you shouldn't concern yourself with such a weight on your mind as if to justify the money you are spending on it. As long as you are progressing in life and making yourself better with each step.
But if you are dillusional and playing WOW for 22 h/day or DOTA or anything which is actually affecting your normal life, Than even if you found a chest full of gold and have unlimited money, you are wasting it.