A newspaper article from Australia asks whether using mock gambling exercises to teach maths is going too far. A secondary school in Brisbane, the Mount St Michael's College Catholic girls' school, has been accused of this by the Queensland Australian Families Association but the head of maths at the college says teaching students about gambling is in the Queensland curriculum for mathematics and students are not in danger of becoming gambling addicts.

That gambling and maths go hand in hand is fairly obvious - betting payout ratios and card counting being just two examples. Isn’t it more likely that a lesson on gambling at school, even if it’s fun, will equip children with the knowledge that the odds are stacked against them when gambling and the probabilities of winning are less than those of losing? As research in Britain shows, some teenagers already have a gambling problem and education on the subject, whether in a maths lesson or as part of a broader social education programme, is vital.

In Britain in March 2007 Nationwide Gambling Education for Schools was launched, funded by the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT). ‘You bet!’ was developed for use with young people in more formal education settings, such as secondary schools. ‘Just another game?’ was developed for use with young people in a variety of informal education settings, such as youth clubs and Pupil Referral Units.

Information released at the launch stated, ‘Early intervention through preventive education delivered by professionals in both schools and the informal education settings is one approach that will enable young people to acquire the knowledge and understanding and the skills to avoid some of the potential pitfalls of gambling. Both these resources will assist in ensuring that young people are equipped to deal with such situations and empower them to make informed choices.’

A study into adolescent attitudes towards gambling, supported and part funded by the RIGT, concluded: ‘Instead of labelling gambling as deviant, evil or even sinful, (gambling) prevention programs must offer young people a way to develop adequate personal skills and social competencies.’ The attitude from the Queensland Australian Families Association that classes gambling as a vice does nothing to help educate young people and prevent possible future problem gambling. (E-08.07.08)

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