It used to be such an innocent game. But not any more. It seems that child gamblers as young as five are running up debts playing marbles – yes, marbles – according to the Plymouth Herald.
We're not talking pennies either. Children are apparently begging parents to fork out up to £30 to pay off gambling debts owed to their peers and there are reports of DVDs and PlayStation games going missing to pay off debts.
"Groups of up to 40 young people in the North Prospect area of the town are gathering to play a game called Pits," reported the Herald. "It involves lifting the covers on water meters outside properties and flicking marbles into the hole." Police and housing officers have been making door-to-door calls to warn families about the growing problem.
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