Gambling and the Family

By Jerry Price - Sep 1, 2005 - comment

Imagine going into one of your local toy or discount stores and finding games that promote gambling being marketed for children. You don’t have to imagine long. Guy Clark, chairman of the National Coalition Against Gambling (NCALG) and the National Coalition Against Gambling Expansion (NCAGE), ventured into a WalMart store in Albuquerque, New Mexico and discovered the “Golden Nuggets” game in the children’s entertainment section. “Golden Nuggets” (rated “E” for “everyone” by the Entertainment Software Rating Board) is licensed under an agreement with the casino of the same name. According to the game’s own marketing information, it “features on-the-go versions of classic games like Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Slots, and Video Poker. A password-based save feature lets you come back into the game with your accrued balance intact.”

Another game, “DD Tournament Poker,” can also be found in many large discount stores. The game “has a tournament manager for managing your own live home poker tournaments.” The manufacturer says it is also planning a newer version that will include Internet/LAN play.

“Surely WalMart® and Toys R Us® understand they’re making virtual casinos out of every home in America,” said Clark. “Even in Vegas the trend is toward ‘cashless’ machines. Youth and adults alike can turn these games into real gambling devices. Worse, we’re training our children to imagine winning and improving their lives through gambling. We’re setting them up for failure and addiction.”

Clark also points out that the “back of the Golden Nugget Casino game says ‘When you’re down on your luck, visit the ATM, then hit the tables for more action.’ That’s not good advice for anyone, much less entertainment appropriate for everyone!”

‘Addicts R’ Us’ Games Invade Childrens’ Shelves, (NCALG’s The Bet’s-Off Bulletin, Vol. 3, No. 1), January 2005

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Addictions, Gambling

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