For those who think internet poker is going to burst
I say bs. My thought has always been there is now a relatively small percentage of people who trust the internet. The internet is relatively new and as younger people who grow up with it become of age they will fuel the boom.
I know it is not the point of the article, but nonetheless is happening... http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-teen04.html Teenage boys going all in for poker craze September 4, 2005 BY LARRY MCSHANE Advertisement NEW YORK -- Kevin figures about half of the male students at his suburban high school are regular poker players. It's the latest teen rite of passage: Texas Hold 'Em with the boys, a little low-budget action on the weekend. He started playing at age 15. By the end of his senior year, the now 17-year-old was hunting bigger games. He frequented illegal poker clubs on Long Island. He dropped $2,000 betting during a family vacation in the Caribbean. When his job managing an ice cream shop conflicted with poker nights, he quit. As his losses inevitably swelled, Kevin started looting a $30,000 college fund set up by his parents. ''I didn't care if I won or lost,'' said Kevin, who went through $7,000 in three months. ''I just wanted to gamble.'' He wasn't alone. This summer, while school was out, a growing number of America's teens were going all in as the nation's poker craze mesmerized a group that grew larger and younger. Experts fear the obsession is putting America's youth at its highest risk ever for compulsive betting -- and worry that assistance programs are lagging. ''I get calls from parents and kids, some as young as 14, every day,'' said counselor Arnie Wexler, former head of the New Jersey Council on Compulsive Gambling. ''This thing has exploded. I've never seen anything explode like this has in the last year.'' Spreading to middle schools Poker, particularly the incredibly popular Texas Hold 'Em version played in the $56 million World Series of Poker, stands alongside hip-hop and video games as pillars of America's youth culture. And as schools reopen, the pool of potential underaged gamblers is spreading from the upper grades into the middle schools. According to a study by the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 15.9 percent of in-state students between the sixth and 12th grades admit to gambling-related woes or signs of addiction. Four percent report they were already stealing money from relatives to gamble. A national survey showed a huge increase in card-playing among males ages 14 to 22, with the number of youths reporting they gambled in card games at least once a week jumping from 6.2 percent in 2003 to 11.4 percent last year -- an increase of 84 percent. The vast majority of poker players are males. '5% will become addicted' There are no definitive statistics on the number of teenagers battling compulsive gambling problems nationwide. But Ed Looney, who followed Wexler as head of the New Jersey council, cites the 80-15-5 rule. ''Eighty percent of the kids who gamble, there will be no impact on their lives,'' Looney said. ''Fifteen percent will have some problem. And 5 percent will become addicted.'' Many teens pick up the game from television, with its endless permutations of professional gamblers and celebrity wannabes, with its explanations of intricacies of the seven-card game. But there's more than television at work here. Online gambling is just a mouse click away, accessible 24 hours every day, 365 days a year. A Google search of play and Texas Hold 'Em turned up more than 2 million results. On Long Island, there are now two Gamblers Anonymous meetings devoted exclusively to teens. Kevin, who started attending after his angry parents discovered the depleted tuition fund, is a regular. ''That was a big thing for me, to realize I was not alone,'' said the teen, who will start college this fall -- and start paying his parents back the missing cash. Teenage boys going all in for poker craze September 4, 2005 BY LARRY MCSHANE NEW YORK -- Kevin figures about half of the male students at his suburban high school are regular poker players. It's the latest teen rite of passage: Texas Hold 'Em with the boys, a little low-budget action on the weekend. He started playing at age 15. By the end of his senior year, the now 17-year-old was hunting bigger games. He frequented illegal poker clubs on Long Island. He dropped $2,000 betting during a family vacation in the Caribbean. When his job managing an ice cream shop conflicted with poker nights, he quit. As his losses inevitably swelled, Kevin started looting a $30,000 college fund set up by his parents. ''I didn't care if I won or lost,'' said Kevin, who went through $7,000 in three months. ''I just wanted to gamble.'' He wasn't alone. This summer, while school was out, a growing number of America's teens were going all in as the nation's poker craze mesmerized a group that grew larger and younger. Experts fear the obsession is putting America's youth at its highest risk ever for compulsive betting -- and worry that assistance programs are lagging. ''I get calls from parents and kids, some as young as 14, every day,'' said counselor Arnie Wexler, former head of the New Jersey Council on Compulsive Gambling. ''This thing has exploded. I've never seen anything explode like this has in the last year.'' Spreading to middle schools Poker, particularly the incredibly popular Texas Hold 'Em version played in the $56 million World Series of Poker, stands alongside hip-hop and video games as pillars of America's youth culture. And as schools reopen, the pool of potential underaged gamblers is spreading from the upper grades into the middle schools. According to a study by the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 15.9 percent of in-state students between the sixth and 12th grades admit to gambling-related woes or signs of addiction. Four percent report they were already stealing money from relatives to gamble. A national survey showed a huge increase in card-playing among males ages 14 to 22, with the number of youths reporting they gambled in card games at least once a week jumping from 6.2 percent in 2003 to 11.4 percent last year -- an increase of 84 percent. The vast majority of poker players are males. '5% will become addicted' There are no definitive statistics on the number of teenagers battling compulsive gambling problems nationwide. But Ed Looney, who followed Wexler as head of the New Jersey council, cites the 80-15-5 rule. ''Eighty percent of the kids who gamble, there will be no impact on their lives,'' Looney said. ''Fifteen percent will have some problem. And 5 percent will become addicted.'' Many teens pick up the game from television, with its endless permutations of professional gamblers and celebrity wannabes, with its explanations of intricacies of the seven-card game. But there's more than television at work here. Online gambling is just a mouse click away, accessible 24 hours every day, 365 days a year. A Google search of play and Texas Hold 'Em turned up more than 2 million results. On Long Island, there are now two Gamblers Anonymous meetings devoted exclusively to teens. Kevin, who started attending after his angry parents discovered the depleted tuition fund, is a regular. ''That was a big thing for me, to realize I was not alone,'' said the teen, who will start college this fall -- and start paying his parents back the missing cash. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
thanks for the post....
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
How come every article that comes out in a non poker/gambling publication is always bad news. For once I would like a newspaper article to talk to guys/gals that are living a nice life off of online poker/gambling. All we read about is how Little Ricky lost all his money while he was underage and gambling. Ick. Makes me sick. I make a nice living off of poker. Yes I have down days but once I lose a certain amount then I am done for the day. I see these guys with addictive personalities. Playing pool one time we would draw peas out of the bottle for 5 bucks a pull. High pea won the pot. This guy would keep on losing and eventually he lost all his money to me. Something that should have been fun while waiting for your next match, turned into a bankrupt session for one player.
Conspiracy Theorists...try his one: All the casinos are in "cahoots" to keep articles like this one in the paper, but they never want to see an article on how someone went into their casino and lost their house, car, life or whatever. To this day I have never seen one article on someone that went into a casino and lost their entire life savings...there had to be someone that lost all their money...i mean look at those nice casinos. They were built on winners? I don't think so. Anyway I am starting to ramble on here. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Guess this article is from the LOBBY that never will allow Online-gambling...............in fact such articles are poor for our "sport"
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Nice post, always good to hear what non card players are saying about us
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
As his losses inevitably swelled, Kevin started looting a $30,000 college fund set up by his parents. ''I didn't care if I won or lost,'' said Kevin, who went through $7,000 in three months. ''I just wanted to gamble.'' [/ QUOTE ] Awesome. Thanks Kevin, you're the reason I don't have to worry about money for at least the next several years! I owe you one buddy :-D. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] As his losses inevitably swelled, Kevin started looting a $30,000 college fund set up by his parents. ''I didn't care if I won or lost,'' said Kevin, who went through $7,000 in three months. ''I just wanted to gamble.'' [/ QUOTE ] Awesome. Thanks Kevin, you're the reason I don't have to worry about money for at least the next several years! I owe you one buddy :-D. [/ QUOTE ] nh |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
I still blame the parents...how the F do these kids have access to so much money.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Parents should be happy. It could be drugs little Ricky is blowing his college fund on.
Instead of lamenting the seeming crisis of these types, maybe those who are complaining should instead offer these kids some good 2+2 books so they could get a clue. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Support groups? I need these guys. They are the reason I can afford the hedonistic lifestyle to which I am accustomed.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Actually I have read one on Cecil Fielder.......... [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
Instead of lamenting the seeming crisis of these types, maybe those who are complaining should instead offer these kids some good 2+2 books so they could get a clue. [/ QUOTE ] |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Anyone got any idea about whether the sites are trying to enforce their age limits? How many 14-year-olds are out there playing?
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
Parents should be happy. It could be drugs little Ricky is blowing his college fund on. Instead of lamenting the seeming crisis of these types, maybe those who are complaining should instead offer these kids some good 2+2 books so they could get a clue. [/ QUOTE ] Nice insight...My youngest son (now 21) started to play ~ a year or so ago. I helped him set up an online account...taught him basic starting hands and strategy...my goal was to keep him home more often at night. Worked reasonably well and he has developed into a winning SS nl player. Every hour he was glued to Pokerstars was less time to find trouble imo. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
You're welcome [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
Sincerely, Kevin |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
How come every article that comes out in a non poker/gambling publication is always bad news. For once I would like a newspaper article to talk to guys/gals that are living a nice life off of online poker/gambling. [/ QUOTE ] I've seen so many articles about internet-pros who are doing well it's not even funny. I've also seen mostly 'neutral' articles that just go on and on about the popularity of online-poker (and how much the sites are making) that make virtually no reference to kids or adults becoming addicted OR the fact that it is in a legal grey-area. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Owl,
Every time you post one of these stories it posts twice. ~Justin |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Congratualtions, this is exactly the sort of [censored] that will get the whole show side lined. Kids gambling away trust funds is just the fuel the Christian Right needs to get Bush and his mates to ban the game completely.
Mack |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
I think the big risk to online poker is that it is "bad for the kids." Politicians will swing into action to be seen protecting the kids. I can see an unholy alliance of religous Republicans and Democrats that don't like gambling they can't tax coming together to make online poker much more difficult. Right now the anti online poker movement is pretty small (Sen. Kyle), but that could change if there is a lot of publicity about kids losing their college money to poker.
Why is there never a movement to pass laws requiring parents to watch their kids? |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Naturally!
The articles are so important that he has taken it upon himself to require everyone to read it twice. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
But Ed Looney, who followed Wexler as head of the New Jersey council, cites the 80-15-5 rule. [/ QUOTE ] Isn't that the principal from ferris buelers day off? |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
How come every article that comes out in a non poker/gambling publication is always bad news. For once I would like a newspaper article to talk to guys/gals that are living a nice life off of online poker/gambling. [/ QUOTE ] Welcome to the real world. There are many, many, many more people who lose money gambling than who are "living a nice life off" it. [ QUOTE ] All we read about is how Little Ricky lost all his money while he was underage and gambling. [/ QUOTE ] This stuff is really happening. Should newspapers all refuse to report on it? Should we work together to suppress anyone finding out about the fact that some people lose money gambling since it might hurt our bottom line? [ QUOTE ] All the casinos are in "cahoots" to keep articles like this one in the paper [/ QUOTE ] These articles are bad for b&m casinos even though they are about online casinos. Reinforcing the idea that gambling is addictive and destructive is not what casinos want, regardless of where they are located. They want gambling to be associated with harmless fun. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
I'm starting to think that Yellowstone is the most immediate threat to online poker.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
The games will always be good. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't improve our skills though.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
last summer, my 16 year old nephew started playing poker, and actually showed some promise. his mom(my sister) allowed him to play online for real money, though only $50 at a time, and his own money. he lost a buy in or two, then had it built up to over $1700 within a week. she had me keep tabs on his play, and one day i noticed his account had only pennies in it. he had blown all $1700 in ONE DAY while playing limits as high as $10/20.
then, while i was away last year at the WSOP circuit event in Atlantic City, he played poker on my account without my knowledge and lost $500 of my money. there is something about teenage boys that really makes them susceptible to addiction of one type or another. needless to say, this nephew is not allowed anywhere near poker games any more. cheers! |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Funny my parents aren't crazy about the whole online poker thing.
It has treated well, but I can see where they are coming from. I have to put myself in their shoes and think about when my son is getting to that age. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
I make a nice living off of poker. [/ QUOTE ] That's because all the teenage fishes who are addicted are helping you live the life [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
I went to a gamblers anonymous meeting once. (I live in vegas so there are like 10 a day if you look hard enough). I was mad that I had 'tilted' away 50 bucks playing blackjack. These guys were reliving their worst moments every day twice a day. One dude lost his house, another his retirement pension, a third all his savings and family (wife left) from playing .25 video poker!
I felt like a douchebag becaue I thought I HAD a problem. Nobody could relate to me because they lose 50 bucks before 4am every day. These fools were on the next level. I put 5 bucks in the folgers can and drank 3 cups on the way out. What would happen if you trained a kid how to play from a young age? Would he become world class or a junkie? Is it all genetics? |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
" I was mad that I had 'tilted' away 50 bucks playing blackjack."
If you went to a meeting because you lost 50 bucks then you may not need GA but you probably need some type of professional help. By any chance do you get "cancer" like 12 times a year? |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
If you went to a meeting because you lost 50 bucks then you may not need GA but you probably need some type of professional help. By any chance do you get "cancer" like 12 times a year? [/ QUOTE ] I think Mr. Spock from Star Trek would find some of you stiff. I'll be sure to get some help now that you have pointed out my obvious problem. Holy hell... |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
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The games will always be good. [/ QUOTE ] Nonsense. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
I think Mr. Spock from Star Trek would find some of you stiff. [/ QUOTE ] Being stiff is not logical. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
I turn 18 on Tuesday, and I plan on poppin' my Internet cherry that day. One thing I don't plan on doing is making a deposit. I'll set up a Neteller thing, but I'm going to concentrate on trying to get a freeroll win in. If I don't do that, I don't do that.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
[ QUOTE ]
What would happen if you trained a kid how to play from a young age? Would he become world class or a junkie? Is it all genetics? [/ QUOTE ] Probably both. A guy in Hungary did this with chess and his daughters. Two of them, Judit Polgar and Susan Polgar, became grandmasters--in fact, Judit is consistantly in the world's top 10--and the third, Zsofia Polgar, became an international master (the first step below GM). Of course, you need a ton of practice to get that much success. If you trained a kid from an early age to be a poker player, I doubt he'd/she'd have a well-rounded personality. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Are you implying that the top level poker pros like Hellmuth and Matasow *DO* Have good well-rounded personalities? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Sounds like a child trained from birth would end up about like that... entitlement a-holes.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
The game will cap. The market will burst... And were all going to hell.
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
Just like Microsoft went belly-up a few years ago, along with all those Windows software developers, when the growth in the home computer market slowed way down, right?
Sure, if the growth slows down, some people will be hurt. I think those who depend on rakeback will suffer first. But the whole thing isn't going to collapse. |
Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
oh no! black tuesday
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Re: For those who think internet poker is going to burst
i'm not reading this so I don't feel guilty when I cash out.
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