With a paycheck in his hand and a grin extending from ear to ear, he clocks out at 5 p.m. and races off to Sin City.

Amid the noisy, smoke-filled casino, a quiet, reserved young man jumps up and belts out, “Show me the money!” and “Come home to daddy!”

This anguish and anticipation, followed with either glee or disgust, could only be found in the blazing heat of Palm Springs or beyond to the gambling haven of the world, Las Vegas.

However, times have changed, and all emotions, ranging from rage to ecstasy, can be enjoyed wherever an internet connection is present and without the hassle of going to a casino.

“It is available from the privacy of your home and you could be a couch potato,” Chris King, biology major, said.

King and Sean Ain, fitness and nutrition major, can attest that gambling in person or on the computer are two separate settings for one addictive pastime that can either expand from the home or be controlled there.

“I play for fun and I played online in preparation for a real money Texas Hold’em tournament I was in,” King said.

Despite the availability at the click of a mouse, Ain believes online gambling is a fatal equation that ultimately sums up to depressing results and a major let down.

Even though the potential upside that online gambling presents is small, individuals turn their backs to the realistic downside with disregard and ignorance; King and Ain both agree the major downside of online gambling is the lack of control one has over the cards and situation.

“You do not have the ability to know if they are using a full deck or if it is fair,” King said in reference to the credibility of online gambling.

Online gambling sites, such as www.pokerstars.com, allow citizens who are 18 and older participate in this addictive, multibillion-dollar industry.

“I think the age limit should be raised to twenty-one,” Ain said.

Along with lower age standards, Ain agrees the convenience of monetary transactions can be as deadly as a newly approved credit card with a flashy design.

“With gambling online, you don’t know if they are using their credit card or if they grabbed a friend’s,” Ain said.

Ever since Chris Moneymaker, an online poker player, won the 2003 World Series of Poker, gambling has grown at a record pace and authority figures, such as Sgt. Dal Toruno of the campus police department, are seeing it more as a nuisance than a harmless pastime hobby.

“People start throwing away their savings and their family’s savings,” Toruno said. “It kind of evolves from kid’s games at Chuck E. Cheese.”

Even with the consequences well-known, Toruno said individuals still participate in gambling on campus, which could stem from the addiction fueled at home on the computer.

“Gambling is a misdemeanor. An arrest will be made, a court date set up and it becomes a disciplinary issue with the college,” Toruno said.

“As for online gambling, it’s the system they are working in and it’s legal, then there’s nothing we can do,” Toruno said. “The age should be standardized though.”