1:51pm UK, Thursday May 05, 2005

There are fears that online gambling and a new craze for playing poker could fuel a gambling epidemic in Britain.

Campaigners say the number of gambling addicts in the UK is growing by 50% a year.

180 poker player

Gambling fears grow

Poker now has its own dedicated digital channel, thousands of websites and an ever increasing following.

Last month more than 1.8 million people around the world played online poker and £50m is staked on websites every day, with 20% of that cash coming from the UK.

According to the figures, 40% of online players are women, following in the footsteps of Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker and Nigella Lawson, who reportedly enjoy a flutter.

But Britain currently has more than 300,000 gambling addicts.

With Blackpool set to become a mini Las Vegas and experts saying the addiction can be as destructive as drink or drugs, the problem is expected to get worse.