Calls to Bring Gambling Education to Australian Schools

Nowadays, kids in school learn about sex and drug abuse. Now, an Australian poker rooms association, which defeated a reform of poker machines legislation, is seeking to bring responsible gambling to the society.

Clubs Australia has proposed that the federal and state governments start educating school children about responsible gambling. Some anti-gambling advocates claim that legal gambling under Australian gambling laws results in problems, so in response, this poker advocate is working on prevention of problem gambling, starting early at schools.

The association is seeking education about how gambling works, its costs, and realities. Moreover the new teaching would highlight problems involved with obsessive gaming and raise awareness among gamblers and their families.

This still doesn’t satisfy anti-poker machine activists who claim that these are dangerous machines that are widely available in many local shops. But, is teaching about poker enough? There are other games, such as blackjack or baccarat, which need to be explained.

Moreover, no one is seriously discussing what is not visible to the eye: mobile casinos in Australia, and how to prevent minors from accessing those. Spinning an online slot, while fun when done responsibly, can deprive a minor of lunch money, just the way school bullies who ask for protection money do.

Another concern raised by the anti-gambling groups is that there is too much advertising of gambling. There is not much they can do since a single government can’t control the Internet. It’s better to take protective measures when it comes to children gambling.

Overall, it is estimated that an average Australian spends as much as $1,200 a year on gambling, including those who bet on sports in Australia. This may be a significant amount, but not as huge given the average incomes.

Some people just want a chance to spin that online slot, hoping to break one of those progressive multi-million jackpots, and never worry about money again.