Amidst the growing popularity of the world series of poker and online gambling, teens are beginning to mimic and organize their own poker games and other betting activities in record numbers. According to one recent finding, US teens are at 2-3 times the risk of adults for developing a gambling addiction.
Nonetheless, schools and parents are starting to take notice that just as with kids and smoking, drinking or drugs, kids and gambling make a bad combination. Some schools have now began integrating youth gambling prevention programs like “Kids Don’t Gamble…Wanna Bet?” into their after-school program’s curriculum.
The program “Kids Don’t Gamble…Wanna Bet?” teaches youths the probabilities, odds and myths about gambling through age-appropriate, cartoon formatted learning methods. This particular program, along with many other teen prevention programs, is now available online for parents and educators at The North American Training Institute’s website: http://www.nati.org
NATI has provided education and training on gambling addiction since 1990 and even worked along side Harvard Medical School as part of the North American Think Tank on Youth Gambling Issues with.
With the escalation of teen’s interest in gambling, the implementation of prevention education and public awareness about gambling problems are crucial for parents, teachers and teens to combat and prevent future possible addictions.