Surprisingly people are very agreeable to wasting their money for nothing but vanity. But once they learn someone actually benefits from their waste, depending on their relationship, they might stop.
Besides, those pubs might be one of those "non-taxable" ones they get for tournament specials. Trying to impose taxes might get the Pubowners' Guild on your case. Now before you think it's no big deal, recall that all but two of your entertainment options deals with pubs.