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John Gollehon about his concern over the
effect of poker's growing popularity |
Much like Garrison Keillor's fictitious
schoolchildren of Lake Wobegon, all poker
players think they are above average.
Obviously most of them are fooling themselves,
or at least trying to, gambling author and
publisher John Gollehon says.
"An element of arrogance exists in all gambling
endeavors, but poker seems to bring it out the
most," said Gollehon, a prolific author of books
aimed at recreational bettors. "Arrogance tends
to congregate in the poker rooms.
"Many of these average players think that they
are better than they are, and tend to
rationalize losses as mere anomalies. They have
no chance (at winning) until they look in the
mirror and get square with themselves."
Overestimating their skill is just one trap that
can snag younger or novice poker players,
Gollehon said. He has become wary of what the
poker boom has spawned - including, Gollehon
believes, an increased risk of addiction among
teens.
"Through elaborate marketing, the game is
catching the attention of all sorts of players,"
said Gollehon, referring to a McGill University
study that reported signs of problem gambling
among even preteens. "Unfortunately, many of
those caught in the nets should be thrown back,
too young to play. But play they do.
"I've been uncomfortable with this for quite
some time," Gollehon said.
It's an unexpected turnabout for someone with
such a rich background in gambling.
Through his Michigan-based company, Gollehon
Press, Gollehon has published titles such as
"Budget Gambling," "Conquering Casino Craps" and
"Casino Gambling for Boneheads." His company has
published 70 gambling books, with 35 currently
in print and five others about to come back into
print, Gollehon said.
His books contain advice that involves
"stop-loss" limits, riding hot streaks and the
like. They can be readily found in the gift
shops of Strip resorts.
Clearly, he's not targeting professional
gamblers or aspiring pros as an audience, but
rather tourists hoping to stretch their allotted
bankroll. "We're not doing (Doyle Brunson's
classic) 'Super System' here," Gollehon said.
So you'd think Gollehon - who counts a couple of
poker primers among his works and recalls
playing against legends such as Johnny Moss,
Jack Strauss and Stu Ungar in the 1980s - would
be enthusiastic about major poker tournaments
such as the World Series of Poker. After all,
that's where rank amateurs supposedly have a
decent shot to cash in for big paydays against
the pros.
Not so, said Gollehon. In fact, because his
audience consists of casual rather than
hard-core gamblers, "it makes me more sensitive
to this issue," he said.
Following is a sampling of what the author calls
"Gollehon's gambling gripes:"
# A glut of TV poker. Sure, most viewers watch
televised poker purely for entertainment. "But
many from the ranks of our gullible youth are
mesmerized by the illusion of easy money," said
Gollehon, whose latest book - an inspirational
novel called "The Finding," written under the
pen name J.R. Shannon - represents a departure
from the gambling motif . "They seek out poker
rooms, spending untold hours at the table, as
long as (their) money holds out."
# Appeals to youth, both in live games and on
the Internet. "Many tribal casinos today welcome
teens (18 and up)," Gollehon said. "There is
little or no special effort to weed out minors."
And online, younger teens can play for money at
poker sites using their parents' credit cards,
Gollehon said.
# The threat of addiction. Whereas video poker
or slot machines don't traditionally appeal to
younger male gamblers, poker certainly does.
"Now the live game (of poker) is dramatically
impacting teens, particularly boys," Gollehon
said. "Studies show a marked increase in
underage gambling, due primarily to the
onslaught of live poker ¦ I don't like the fact
that there is no great effort being made to keep
this away from kids."
By Jeff Haney |
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