I think the main reason people bot farm is that they don't like the meta game, they don't like beeing at an artificial disadvantage, they don't like not getting various gear (gear which is not side-grades, but straight up upgrades), and they don't find it fun to grind for it, so they just want it overwith as fast as possible.
The progression system isen't just cosmetic but has real effects on your abillity to play, it isen't voulentary (you are still restricted by it in the unranked mode), many people don't find it enjoyable at all, and that my freinds is the problem.
Removing the abillity to bot farm could also have very negative effects on the player counts for this reason, i think there's a lot of people who would just ragequit the game if this system becomes even more forced, even more unescapable, why spend your free time dealing with something you don't enjoy?
The system is poorly designed to begin with, and doesen't fit the game, but forcing it is the worst thing they could have done, why is there no option to play without it? Even CoD gives you that despite how progression driven that series has now become.
Well, i guess i know why, TWI knew that the vast majority of the RO community wanted nothing to do with this system, but felt that progression would be very important to reach a new and more mainstream audience. There would have been a real risk of most the day-1 servers and players running a progression-free mode if one had been given, and TWI didn't want that.
The irony is, even most of TWI's new fans also dislike the progression system, the reasons and degree may differ, but it never had many defenders, and they have only become fewer with time.
