With the drastic increase in the number of people engaging in online gambling across the UK, schools are starting to take action. The importance of educating youth on the effects of gambling and the issues with problem gambling is essential. Many schools in the UK have started to include classes that teach kids about gambling and how to remain responsible.
A study that was conducted in 2017 showed that more than half of the population in the UK engages in gambling activities. One year later, another study showed that 450,000 underage children placed bets. The UK Department of Education is now looking to tackle underage gambling by implementing classes in schools. Similar programs are being used in Northern Ireland. Here, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations, and Assessment has created lessons on gaming awareness.
Protecting Our Youth
Online gambling is something that will only become more popular in the coming years. The ability to easily access a casino site and engage in gambling has presented many problems in the UK. Underage players visiting these sites are creating accounts to engage in wagering. Children do not understand the serious effects of problem gambling, which is why these school programs are being implemented.
The ultimate goal is to prevent risks associated with problem gambling in future generations and to prevent underage players from developing an addiction. The lessons will be compulsory in UK schools and will teach children about addiction and debt. Lesson plans have been created with the help of GambleAware, the gambling charity that offers help with addiction.
Operators Appeal to Younger Players
Online casinos have been designed to capture the attention of younger gamblers. While sites are required to ensure each member is of the legal age to play real money games, underage players are often drawn to the glitz and glamour of casino games online. Operators have flashy sites that advertise large wins and exciting promotions. These things draw the attention of young players.
Casino sites can easily be accessed on a PC, smartphone or just by using legal gambling apps for mobile phones, making it difficult to set parental controls to block websites. With many new operators launching sites, the gaming industry in the UK is quickly growing, presenting more opportunities for young gamblers.
All licensed operators in the UK are required to have policies in place that prevent underage access to real money games. Each site must perform verifications on the age of each member to ensure that everyone is over the age of 18. While these steps have been helpful in limiting access, young players are still able to sign up at offshore sites and are often unaware of the serious effects that gambling can cause.
To minimise the risks of gambling, school lessons are being used to demonstrate how gambling addictions can present major problems in life. Children are battling gaming companies that have great knowledge of brain chemistry and what will attract people to a site. By offering school lessons, kids can become more aware of the dangers and take steps to reduce risks.
