Holodecks were new enough technology on the first episode of TNG that everyone was super amazed and had never seen one before. And they were on the brand new flagship of the fleet. Then four-five years later even a Ferengi bar owner on a rinkydink falling-apart Cardassian former ore processing facility has a bunch of them.
Did the tech get that cheap that fast, or was Quark that savvy, or were the Cardassians that far ahead in entertainment technology?
Accepting headcanons.
The Cardassians are far ahead of the Federation in the porn industry
But Garak said they developed them for educational purposes!
Garak lied.
