Hard to believe this may be true?

[sun]

Does anyone know anyone with this problem..here is the link
My College Addiction (http://www.alternet.org/wiretap/23792/) - On line gambling



Do you think this is for real, or are college students, high school students getting hooked? I have never heard of it..Have you? what is your opinon of this? Thanks for responding..... Stuart

[Artimus Gigan]

I was at a recent family gathering and all the juviniles that were in elementry school were playing poker...

[Kurtman]

I'm not sure if it's true or not. I think I would have to be either 17 or 18 in order to gamble at Harrah's,Viejas,Barona,other San Diego area casinos. But then again,I think gambling is far too risky.

[Mr Cat Dog]

Online Poker has taken a surge here in Britain. You hear stories of people quitting their jobs just to play poker online, wives splitting up with husbands, students quitting university, and even stranger. There are even 2 TV channels dedicated to it over here, that's how big it is.

[Captain Zechs]

well...

over 2 years ago my dad got something called partypoker, online poker, for real money, and i started to have this really bad addiction problem, so yes it is true. However I have gotten better and never play it anymore, trust me its not a good feeling to get addicted to something.

[AnimatedSnow47]

Wow. I had no idea the problem was so big. I mean, I know my mother plays "Bookworm" alot online, but at least that's educational. :anime:

As for poker, I've never seen the appeal--and I can't understand why anyone would want to watch it on TV (And, hello ESPN, Poker is not a sport!). I would never gamble simply because it doesn't appeal to me. If I'm going to spend money, I want something with a gauranteed return--gambling doesn't offer that in a practical sense.

[Rook]

do u actually get money? or is it just an addictiom?

[sun]

I just re read the article...It is for real money..and they have no way of verifying the age of the players.................
But, people can also be addicted to playing for "fun" Yahoo offers poker, and one night, I sat there for three hours playing..now it was just for fun...but it got nasty and someone threw me out of the game.............Stuart

[Demonic Raven]

There is only one instance in my mind that I can think of where I gambled. It was during New Years Eve just this December, with a bunch of family members. I didn't know the rules very well, but once I got the hang of it, I actually started doing pretty damn good. I think I came out $20 richer when it was all said and done. :D

I never got addicted to it or anything, though. I hope that I never will, especially when it comes to the Las Vegas type casinos. The odds are simply against you, the player, and I don't consider myself a lucky man. Except for that one time during New Years Eve, that is. ;)

[HumanoidTyphoon]

When I used to clean up the computers at the college poker games were on just about every one so I believe it. I also remember seeing a thing about this on The Daily Show it seems pretty profitable.

[AF$]

This is really no surprise, with poker being as popular as it is lately. My cousin won $1300 on a poker site a few months ago and does fairly well on average, so there is definitely money in it. However, that drive to win and the hope for a big payout is also what makes it so addicting.

[LightShadow1890]

Man, I never knew those sites were for real. I don't think the real game of poker (with the chips) does it for real money.

I think the only ways you can fight the problem is either: 1) don't play it anymore or 2) read it and find a way to beat it. There's books out there (like the onens those MIT math whizes did) which tell you how to play the games and legal ways how to beat it (my Frosh math teacher told my class that during a lesson on probability).

[Duke]

Man, I never knew those sites were for real. I don't think the real game of poker (with the chips) does it for real money. The competitions have an entrance fee, but that's about it. However, non-tournaments (i.e. regular games at Vegas) usually have your own money involved.

[Brainiac]

Oh, this is definitely for real. My entire dorm hall last semester was addicted to this stuff, which was surprising. They'd spend hours and hours playing it. When doing homework, they'd have PartyPoker open on their computers. It was crazy. I know a lot of people who made a lot of money, only to lose it the next second. I've never played, and don't intend to. I'll stick to Mario Kart n' Smash Bros.

[bluedeucedodge]

I've never gambled online, but I hustle poker games. It is just good fun for me though. I don't have an addiction or anything like that.