MADISON, Wis., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Gambling counselors fear the increasing popularity of poker on television and the Internet is breeding a news generation of gambling addicts.
The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling is starting to field calls from parents worried about their children's poker habits.
"Our concern is that you have parents who think a poker party is a better alternative than having their kids out having sex and drinking alcohol," executive director Rose Gruber told the Wisconsin State Journal.
"Unfortunately, what we're finding is that gambling becomes a gateway to those other activities."
While most teenagers will be able to enjoy poker without a problem, six percent to 12 percent of them could get hooked, said Gruber. Youth ages 12 to 20 are at twice the risk of becoming gambling addicts as adults, she said.
"The money issue for those who get hooked can be very devastating very quickly," said Mary Beth Manning, an addictions and mental health counselor in Madison. "It's not as safe as people think."
