Letter: Television poker is creating future gambling addicts

Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 | 9:05 a.m.

Television has at last made gambling, i.e. poker, a sport with status equal to MLB and the NBA and the NFL. More and more of this kind of programming has edged its way into American living rooms.

I recently saw a mother interviewed about teenagers playing poker in her home. She was so proud to have the boys playing poker in her home because it created comradeship, increased the competitive spirit and was such good clean fun for all. Comments were made about poker being beneficial in increasing math skills application, reasoning and creative thinking skills. What this woman and so many other naive Americans fail to see is the fact that compulsive gambling is a real danger in the future lives of these youngsters.

In the 1960s many parents regarded smoking marijuana and dropping LSD as a fad that would soon fade from the scene. What is happening with regard to television poker as a sport is quite comparable. The gaming industry is very cleverly paving the way for developing a whole generation of new gamblers. Some of these young individuals will be lifetime gamblers, and others may become serious, compulsive gamblers whose lives stand to be ruined.

I am not against gaming but I am against this insidious and damaging ploy by the casino industry to promote poker as a sport on our televisions and in our homes. I believe this very dangerous and damaging trend should be curtailed now before it is too late. How long will it be before our schools will be sponsoring poker teams and tournaments?

VIRGIL A. SESTINI