Council Calls for Responsible Marketing of Poker Sets; Parents and Educators to get Involved as Holiday Shopping Season Begins
Council Calls for Responsible Marketing of Poker Sets; Parents and Educators to get Involved as Holiday Shopping Season Begins
Altamonte Springs, FL (PRWEB) November 21, 2005
The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) is calling for responsible marketing of adult gambling games during the upcoming holiday shopping season. Retailers are once again expected to sell record numbers of poker sets and other gambling gift items this year, many of which will be purchased for children and adolescents. The FCCG wants all concerned adults to realize that it is not appropriate to market or sell these adult gambling items as toys.
Poker and other forms of gambling are not legal for anyone under 18 years of age in Florida. Yet, poker game kits were among last year’s hottest selling gift items for the holidays. And, this year’s sales are expected to be even higher. Texas Hold ‘Em games and other poker sets are routinely sold in department store toy departments as appropriate games for children as young as four years of age.
One of the two major predictors for the development of a gambling problem is parental attitudes toward gambling. Parents, who are purchasing Texas Hold ‘Em game kits for children as young as ten year old, are sending a message of approval and even encouragement of youth poker play. Children are receiving that message and are playing poker in record numbers.
The other predictor for the development of a gambling problem is early onset of play. The younger the child is when first engaging in gambling activities, the greater the possibility that a gambling problem will develop. Recent studies have shown that poker play among teens has more than doubled in the last year. This increase can be attributed primarily to televised poker tournament play and celebrity participation. The FCCG and other experts are concerned about the long-term impact of so many youth participating in gambling at such young ages.
“Parents need to understand that these games are not just kids’ card games,” says Pat Fowler, Executive Director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling. “Parents also need to know that the age labeling of these products refers to the ability of the child to master the pieces of the game. It is not a recommendation that the game is appropriate for that same age group.”
The FCCG, which maintains a neutral policy on gambling, has no objection to appropriate distribution and sale of poker sets and other adult gambling games. Ms. Fowler states, “The Council has no problem with the marketing of these games to adults in appropriate store locations, but do not think that toy departments are a responsible choice.”
The FCCG is asking retailers to sell gambling items to adults only and to place them in appropriate locations within their stores. In addition, the Council is calling on parents and educators to support those retailers who market adult gambling items responsibly and to voice complaint to the management of stores which do not.
In closing, Ms. Fowler emphasized, “It is important for all concerned adults to get involved in this very serious matter. Parents need to educate themselves on the risks associated with the participation of their children in adult gambling games, because this is not kids’ play.”
About the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling
The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc. (FCCG) is a not-for-profit 501c(3) educational and advocacy organization whose primary mission is to help persons adversely affected by problem and compulsive gambling. Established in 1988, the FCCG is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, is a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling and maintains a neutral stance on the issue of legalized gambling. The FCCG is funded by the State of Florida and receives additional support from membership dues, training fees and donations.
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