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A few years back credit card companies got in trouble for their targeting of college-aged students. They created hefty promotions and too-good-to-be-true credit packages for students and then set up booths and give-a-way spots on college campuses. A huge number of students took advantage of the “free” credit and walked away thinking they were now venturing into the world of adulthood with credit cards to rely on. Unfortunately, the reality of credit cards soon came to light and young people started being faced with thousands of dollars in debt before they even graduated. With hefty student loans and now credit card balances to manage, many were forced declare bankruptcy to work their ways out of the financial struggle. The numbers didn’t lie- a record number of young people found themselves in this position.
Now that the credit card companies moved in on college students, gaming companies are doing the same. In fact, on ecompany is getting onto the college campus with an interesting promotion. They are encouraging students to upload their grades and then wager on their performance in future semesters. It is all a way to get them accustomed to gaming and wagering in their everyday life and the hope is that they will enjoy it. If they start winning money, why wouldn’t they come back for more wagering fun? Of course, there is a danger here that young people will 1) get used to gambling as a “normal” activity and go overboars and 2) wager too much, ending up in more debt. Though the company is billing this promotion as a way for students to “believe in themselves as academics”, many opponents don’t see it that way. They believe that the companies are repeating what credit card companies did a few years back and trying to take advantage of a new market. They believe that the “new market” doesn’t have the experience of education to turn them down. It could be a dangerous time for college students because of the big companies that are targeting them for business. They are by all reasonings a “new market” and staying away isn’t going to be something any company wants to do…even if it puts them in financial danger.