Average forum startup costs?

Alot of people are running their own forums, I see new forums starting up everyday. Talkfreelance only cost me about $500 to get started (including this skin!) How much do you think it costs today to have a forum created? Including vbulletin licenses, hosting, minimal advertising etc.

I ask because i'm looking at starting a forum myself and i'm wondering how much $ I should allow for this project.

http://forums.clantemplates.com/showthread.php?t=92409

thats what a guy configured but off and on you can find different prices for some the things.

what you looking in to starting? what kind of forum?

Poker/Gambling related forum.

o.o let me know how that goes and whats link when/if you do it.

question, why is that like the new big thing in forums. poker and gambling forums

Well, there aren't really that many poker/gambling forums, advertisers pay alot of money and over the last few years poker has become really popular.

Lol, same niche I'm going into soon.

I'm waiting till I get high x,xxx to start something with a bang since the niche is a little different than the average gaming, design, webmaster, and stuff.

Good luck man, the way I see it its :

Design - 400 - 1,200$ (Including skin code)
vBSEO - 149$ I think
vB License - 160$

and thats all you really need, plus maybe $xxx in advertising, or a contest that does the advertising for you.

Maybe thats all you really need, paid posting for such a niche wouldn't be bad, maybe from two different companies to get the place going.

Surely there are legal implications with running a poker/gambling forum when you're 15?

Not if it's ran by my mom and I'm simply posting...

Hahaha. Brilliant.

EDIT - Yeah, but surely that's still illegal? Even if you were a member there.

says who robson :P i am registered at many poker sites when i was 16 and nothing was said. maybe though i never really looked into age for online poker