Internet poker players gamble with their debt
TMCnet - The World's Largest Communications and Technology Community
TMC Launches New Sites ::  NGC  |  4GWE  |  Green Tech  |  Satellite  |  IT |  ITEXPO  |  Healthcare  |  Smart Grid  |  M2M  |  Smart Products  |  AstriCon News  |  SATCON News
TMCnet CHANNELS
#1 VoIP Enabler: Risk-free, Quick & Easy Deployment
Advanced Carrier Services
Advanced IP Carrier
Answering Service
Appliance Deployment
ATCA
Auto Dialer
BPA (3rd Party Remote Call Monitoring)
Broadcast Modulator
Business Phone Systems
Business Process Automation
Business VoIP
Call Center
Call Center Certification
Call Center Digital Signage
Call Center Furniture
Call Center Hiring
Call Center Management
Call Center On Demand
Call Center Outsourcing
Call Center Scheduling
Call Center Software
Call Center Solutions
Call Center Training
Call Center Workforce Management
Call Monitoring
Call Recording
Communications Enabled Business Processes
Conference Call
Conferencing
Contact Center Headsets
Contact Center Software
CRM Cloud Computing
CRM Software
CRM Solutions
DID/DDI
Digital Signage
e911
E911 Hosted Solutions
Email Archiving
Email Server
Enterprise Fax over IP
Enterprise VoIP
Ethernet Extender
Fax
Fax Over IP
FoIP
HD Conference
Hosted Contact Center
Hosted PBX
Integrated Communications
IP Fax
IP Multimedia
IP Phone Maker
IP Phone System
IP Phones
IP Transit
IVR
Lead Management Software
Master Agent
Mobile Management
Mobile Unified Communications
Mobile Video
NEBS
Network Installation
Open Source CRM
PBX PCI Adapter
Phone Systems
Portable Satellite Antenna
Predictive Dialer
Sales Software
SATCON
SIP
Speech Recognition and Text to Speech
Telecom Cost Management
Telecom Expense Management
Telecom Lifecycle Management
Telemarketing Software
Telepresence
Testing IP Services
Virtual Call Center
Virtual Office
Virtual PBX
Virtual Receptionist
Voice Broadcast
Voice Management
Voice Over IP
Voice Peering
Voicemail Replacement
VoIP Call Recording
VoIP Contact Center
VoIP Developer
VoIP Gateways
VoIP Monitoring
VoIPSwitch
Web Conferencing
Web Meeting
Wholesale VoIP
Wireless Expense Management
Wireless Management
Workforce Management
Workforce Optimization
Share
TMCnews
[February 26, 2006]

Internet poker players gamble with their debt

(Daily Mail (London) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Feb. 26--Gambling online is big business and poker has become the game to play, with many students following in the footsteps of film stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Tilly and Tobey Maguire by reinventing themselves as card sharps.



But while some players earn a tidy profit, many students are chancing their arm, and instead of clearing their debts they are facing ruin.

Internet casinos have made gambling more accessible and there are numerous online sites that will allow anyone to have a punt, including cash-strapped students. And poker societies have been springing up at universities across the country.



But the Consumer Credit Counselling Service is warning students that it often deals with people who have racked up gambling debts of up to 20,000.

The charity's Helen Saxon says: "Students come to us after graduation, when the scale of their debt hits home. But online gambling could be a danger for the solitary student who has internet access in their room."

Organisers of university poker schools insist that most members are attracted by the skill of the game rather than thrills.

Sam Nash is president of the Poker Society at the University of Essex. The 25-year-old law student from Toronto founded the society last year. It now has over 100 members. "We play a tournament style of poker with a 5 buy-in. With 40 students playing, the winner could make 70," he says.

"We want to keep the game within people's means and give beginners a chance to learn. But there is no point playing unless there is money on the table."

Sam earns regular money playing poker during the summer holiday, but he acknowledges-that for some, gambling is a problem. "A lot of students are playing poker online and some are addicted," he says. "I know of one who lost 4,000 in a week."

Veronica King of the National Union of Students says: "With levels of student debt, it is easy to see why some individuals may be tempted into what could be seen as an easy loan top-up.

"But it is very risky and could result in serious financial loss."

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Discussions:
Be the first to post a comment on this page!
 
By  
TMCnet
+ Add to the Discussion
Bookmark mobile.TMCnet.com on your mobile phone now to stay on top of the latest tech news.
Featured White Papers
Featured White Paper RSS feed
10 reasons to switch to an IP PBX
Application Whitelisting: A new security paradigm
SCADA Systems Protection
view all white papers…
Top Stories
Today's TMCnet Top Stories and News Articles
RCCSP Sets 2010 Intro to Contact Centers/ Foundations Classes
Fax Feature: RingCentral Helps Growing Limousine Company Expand Nation…
Wild for Animal Prints? Try This Flip
Convergys Expanding its Call Center Outsourcing Operations in the Phil…
InCode Telecom's Predictions for 2010
more of today's top stories...
Related VoIP News
Latest IP Communitions and VoIP News
In-Stat: Unified Communications Migrating to the Cloud
Frost & Sullivan Study: Virtualization Market in India to Grow Significantly
Windstream Announces Acquisition of Iowa Telecommunications Services
Teledata ICT of Ghana Using VocalTec's Essentra BAX VoIP Application Server
Sendmail, Osterman Detect E-Mail Cloud Trends

Today @ TMC
Upcoming Events
ITEXPO East 2010
 January 20-22, 2010
Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami, FL
4G Wireless Evolution Conference
 January 20-22, 2010
Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami, FL
view more…
Subscribe FREE to all of TMC's monthly magazines. Click here now.