British schools take on gambling addiction

As the online and offline gambling addiction among the youth of U.K. s increasing, some schools are taking that extra step in preventing it. At least two private schools in England are now offering their pupils classes which focus on the dangers that could result from compulsive gambling. Harlow School, located in Middlesex, and King's College School in south London are helping their young students to avoid gambling addiction.

At King's College School, suspicion was raised when some students start showing an odd behavior, being unprepared and distracted in class. It turned out that those students were gambling on the Internet until the late hours. Following this incident, the school, which already had a gambling educational program, went a step further as to bring a recovered compulsive gambler to the class.

Harlow School, which is a boarding school, is not aware of such incidents occurring with their pupils, because it's easier for them to monitor the Internet activities of their students, than the parents at home with their children. This did not ease the school board of the Middlesex school and they introducing their own program for gambling awareness.

It is expected over the course of the next few years more and more schools to employ such programs, or refurbish existing ones to cover the potential dangers of Internet gambling and betting.

03/12/2007