British Teen Spends GBP 7,000 Playing Online Poker

The importance of preventing underage gambling under British gambling laws is once again in the spotlight as Liverpool News revealed that a 12-year-old managed to play through GBP 7,000 at online poker sites.

The teenager in question, Declan Hind, managed to use his dad’s credit card to illegally register at one of online poker sites in United Kingdom and blow away GBP 7,000. His example is now being used extensively to showcase the importance of vigilance against the threat of gambling by minors.

Hind told United Kingdom gambling news that he first learned about online poker in high school, when his acquaintance showed him how to find download and play free poker games on his smartphone. He started by playing against his friends via virtual money, but was bolstered by success and decided to boost his pocket money by going into the real money play.

Declan borrowed his father’s credit card to purchase something online (way to go dad!), but instead registered and deposited funds into online poker site. The GBP 7,000 was played through in just over a week, when Hind deposited more and more to cover up his losses and bad play.

The 52-year-old father only learned what was happening when the credit card reached the maximum limit and was declined. Declan kept quiet afraid of what his dad might do to him and got rid of all online poker evidence on his computer.

The father recalls: “I was screaming and shouting at the credit card company, I didn’t know what happened.” Once the real story behind the spending emerged, father made a point to reveal the case as a lesson to all anti-gambling associations.

A national charity, Prevention Town, aiming to educate and prevent child accidents and injuries, is contemplating a campaign to educate public on the dangers of underage gambling, and will use Declan and his father as an example.

The charity plans to visit schools throughout Merseyside and host focus group discussions, workshops and video material to educate children about the dangers of gambling.