Don't bet on it

Veronica King of the National Union of Students stated in the report about online poker that it's easy to see how students may be tempted to play because student debt is so high ("St Hilda's is flush as poker bet pays off", August 5).

Although it is true that many students play online poker, our studies show little evidence that they play as a way of supplementing income.

All serious players know that poker is a zero-sum game. The few winners will always gain at the expense of the many losers.

In short, there are many reasons as to why students engage in online poker - but making money appears to be a minor one.

Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies, Nottingham Trent University