Gambling - Card Games

By Jerry Price - Sep 1, 2005

Texas Hold ’Em poker is the new rage in gambling with several television channels beaming tournaments for high profile players into the nation’s living rooms. Not such a good idea for anyone, but especially teens, many of whom are setting up their own poker tournaments in their homes—all with parental approval.

“‘It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s glamorized on TV and in the media in a way that other addictions are not,’ says Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. ‘There’s the impression that through skill you can beat the odds. But randomness is always going to have a bigger factor in determining the outcome than your skill … And unfortunately, that’s not the message these kids get.’”

Dan Romer, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania who oversaw the 2003 Annenburg National Risk Survey of Youth, found that “about eight percent of young people surveyed showed signs of having a gambling problem.” He believes that it is time for schools to start communicating the dangers of gambling in the same way they teach about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Poker for Teens: How Far Is Too Far? (MSNBC), November 29, 2004

The poker craze is generating big business. It is estimated that 50 to 80 million players are playing the game at neighborhood gatherings, poker tournaments set up in local bars, and through the Internet. It also seems to be captivating a younger audience. The game that used to be for median-age adults and older is now being played by teens and college-age students—mostly males. Since teenagers and college-age people are known to take risks, the prospect that many will become addicted is high.

What are some warning signs of problems among poker players?

  • People are using alcohol or other drugs while playing poker.
  • The person gambles more money than they intended.
  • Playing poker begins to replace all other interests.
  • Other people are suggesting that the person might have a gambling problem.
  • The person is borrowing money and not repaying it.
  • The person is losing time from work or school due to playing poker.
  • The person is preoccupied with playing poker (reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next venture or thinking of ways in which to get money to gamble).
  • The person is needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money or time in order to achieve the desired excitement.
  • The person is jeopardizing or losing a significant relationship, job or educational opportunity because of gambling.
  • The person is relying on others to get out of debt.

Ben Bostdorf, The Poker Trend—Knowing When to Hold ’Em and When to Walk Away in Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling News, Volume XVII, No. 1, Fall 2004

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Addictions, Gambling