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Blackjack Addiction On The Rise In Florida

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The Associated Press

Published: February 23, 2009

MIAMI - A growing number of people calling the state's gambling help line are asking for help with blackjack addiction.

The Miami Herald reports that a year ago, poker was the main vice of those addicted to playing cards.

In January, 43 percent of the card players seeking help for addiction cited blackjack as their game. A year earlier, only 9 percent identified themselves as blackjack players, with the rest blaming poker for their problem.

The tribe began blackjack and other advanced card games at its Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., in June and opened 104 blackjack and baccarat tables at its Tampa location Nov. 13.

Overall, calls to the state's help line are steadily rising. Nearly one call a day now is from a blackjack player. More than half the total calls for help originate from South Florida.

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