As if out-of-control gambling isn’t enough of a problem already on the nation’s college campuses, now there’s a new poker competition just for college students.

Something called the New England College World Series of Poker Championships was held for the first time Sunday and the winner was Patrick O’Donnell, a 22-year-old college student at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA.

The competition, a Texas hold ‘em tournament for college students in New England, was held at Rockingham Park, a horse racing track in Salem, New Hampshire, USA, that has a poker room, according to media accounts of the event.

Coming in second was Henry Holst, 22, a student at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, the accounts said.

For the win, O’Donnell earned the top prize of $1,450, the accounts said. Holst took home $790, the accounts said.

A total of 28 entrants from 15 colleges and universities throughout New England each ponied up the $150 entry fee for the tourney, the accounts said.

The event was open to students aged 18 or over at any institution of higher learning in any of the six New England states, the accounts said.

Tournament organizers were disappointed with the low number of entrants, having expected=A0 at least 300 entrants, the accounts said.

The organizers blamed bad weather on the day of the event, as well as not enough advertising, for the poor turnout, the accounts said.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)