Why is playing cards considered forbidden, even if it's just for play and without gambling or money?

Playing cards is not permissible, even without a stake, because it distracts from the remembrance of Allah and prayer. It also leads to gambling, which is forbidden by the Qur'an. Furthermore, it causes societal disintegration, leads to abandoning congregational prayers, and results in estrangement, animosity, and laziness. Its exact origin is not known, but it is said to be Chinese or Indian, having spread to Europe in the Middle Ages. Playing cards does not achieve any skill or benefit; rather, it is idle talk, contention, and a waste of time. It resembles dice, intoxicants, and gambling in its outcomes. Some scholars have ruled it forbidden.