As if making them gay wasn’t enough
Last week a small but vocal group of Russian religious fundamentalists accused Facebook of turning little Nikita and Ludmila into Will and Grace and this week British addiction experts also came down on Facebook, accusing it of turning kids into gamblers. Since these latest claims are made by sane people, they could be worth looking into.
Experts warn that Facebook games allow youngsters to get an early start on gambling, as many of them are associated with betting, including card games, roulette and slot machines.
Dr Carolyn Downs told the Daily Mail that her 13-year-old daughter became very upset after losing some virtual money in “Fluff Friends,” which sounds like a really scary game.
She argued that children who start gambling are much more likely to become habitual gamblers and problem gamblers.
“It’s a long-term, life-long risk. What we’re doing is setting up these kids to be problem gamblers as they go through life,” she said.
Chairty CamCare believes the British Gambling Commission should research social gaming and investigate the claims.
Policy and development director Mandy Barrie told the Daily Mail that there is a link between early exposure to gambling and developing a problem in adulthood. Also, reading the Daily Mail could turn you into a tabloid hack working full-time for Bosnian tech site, in which case developing a gambling addiction or turning gay would be the least of your problems.
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Peter Scott
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