The problem is that in most of the zones where these people live, there isn't ice skating at all! For example, if you want to find an ice rink in the area where I live, you have to drive 1 hour at least, when there are roller skating clubs almost in every town, so roller skating can be a good alternative in places where there isn't ice skating, such as "hot" countries (South American, South Europe, South-East Asia...)!
One of the first places that came to mind for me was Australia. It's not only hot there; it's dry. They don't have a lot of leftover water for recreational pursuits.
Add to that the fact that rinks with wooden floors are also far cheaper to maintain than ice rinks.