why do some slots have increasing bet requirements for features

When I was going through some crypto slot games last night, I noticed certain features like free spins or bonus rounds only become available after you bump up your bet size, sometimes by quite a bit. It’s not like you can always play the base minimum and expect the fun features. That got me thinking about why some games structure it that way instead of just letting everyone trigger the bonus regardless of their bet.

From a blackjack perspective, I always look for clear rules and consistent payouts, so this slot setup feels a bit odd. Is it just to make us bet higher and juice the house edge or is there some actual math that makes bigger bets more "worthy" of certain features? Have you guys noticed if higher buy-ins or anteing up for features ever seems to pay off, or is it always a rake for the casino? What's your take on these increasing bet requirements for unlocking the bonus features?