A newly developed gambling website, Lobo Poker Club, is exclusive to UNM students and claims “it’s impossible to lose.”
Arizona State University student Chandler Bator created the site along with some 200 similar sites for universities across the country. Site members pay a monthly fee of $19.95, which gives them $10,000 of virtual money to gamble on the site.
Students who win $50,000 in virtual money will receive $100 in real money or other prizes. Enough wins could net one a $10,000 seat to the World Series of Poker.
“There are two major problems confronting University of New Mexico students this year that our federal government and the private sector have failed to address,” Bator said. “First, there is the lack of employment opportunities for students, both while in school and after graduation. Second is the persistent pursuit and predation of students by offshore gambling websites. At Lobo Poker Club, students are never allowed to bet real money, thus making losing impossible.”
Bator said he will address student unemployment issues by hiring 25 UNM students to work as campus marketers promoting the site.
The site features a variety of casino-style games and allows users to bet on local and national sports.
UNM student Haley Frazier, who said she doesn’t gamble, said she thinks UNM shouldn’t support gambling for students.
“I think it’s good to some degree, because they can only lose the $19.95 a month,” Frazier said. “But then it’s still playing into the addiction of needing to gamble, which I don’t think is something that we should be supporting in any way.”
According to the National Center for Responsible Gaming, 75% of U.S. college students have gambled in the past year and 6% have a serious gambling problem. Gambling can result in psychological difficulties, unmanageable debt and failing grades, the center said.
Student Josh Foster says he doesn’t gamble very often, and when he does it’s among friends rather than online. He said he would definitely consider using the site.
“I don’t think it encourages gambling, I think it’s a good idea for students,” Foster said.
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