Poker's Popularity Means More Teen Gambling Addicts

Nov. 16, 2005 — -- Whether it's Texas Hold'em, 7-Card Stud or Let it Ride, poker has been experiencing a major revival in recent years, and also reaching a younger audience that sometimes doesn't know when to walk away.

"Gambling brought me to a place where I never want to be again," said one teen recovering from a gambling addiction, who asked not to be identified. "It actually brought me to a place where I was actually considering ending my life as opposed to the reality I'd created for myself."

A recent study found that more than 50 percent of kids who gamble reported problems like over-spending. And unlike substance abuse, a gambling addiction can be tough to identify -- you can't see it, or smell it.

In Long Island, N.Y., a group of teens sat around around a green felt table in the finished basement of a suburban home one recent evening, as clay chips and crisp $20 bills changed hands.

"When you play for money, there is something to win and something to lose," said Matt Bornstein. "When you don't play for money there is no point."

A recent nationwide study estimates 2.9 million young people are gambling on cards on a weekly basis. These teens say they often play more than that.

The teens say they can win as much as $150 to $200 a night, but despite the risks, they're not too concerned about getting hooked.

"You can get hooked on it," said Corey Klar, "but when you do lose a lot of money, you are usually broke at the time and then you can't play."

So what do parents of teens think about their children's afterschool activities?

"I find it somewhat comforting to know that any given time, if I have eight, nine, 10, 12 kids here," said Mitch Bleistern, "that they're all under one roof ... playing one game."

These parents argue it is a positive activity that keeps them off the streets and out of trouble.

"That's part of what makes it the activity that they want to do," Jeff Granat said. "Right now gambling is riding the crest of popularity."