“We avoided discussing myths versus facts,” Rogers explained, because research shows that students remember myths and confuse them with facts. Pulling from failures of the DARE drug programgambling materials tell children what gambling is without showing them how to do it.
“We don’t teach them how to gamble,” Rogers said. Small quizzes between sections show whether children understand what they have been taught.
What are the prospects for more states adopting this?
“There’s a lot of interest from states that want to replicate what Virginia is doing,” Rogers said; Massachusetts and New Jersey are currently considering legislation. At the same time, the lack of federal leadership hampers state efforts because there is no national plan to address problem gambling that states can simply adopt. Governments can also be slow to respond to threats that do not appear to pose an immediate danger.
“School systems haven’t caught up with the health care system, and the health care system hasn’t caught up with the trends in the gambling industry,” Dura-Shavol explained, noting that it took about 30 years to act on the health risks associated with tobacco, alcohol and opioids. The fact that states receive revenue from legalized gambling also reduces enthusiasm for strict regulation; gambling revenue provides a fresh source of government funds.
Not everyone who studies gambling addiction believes that mandatory school lessons focused on prohibition are the best approach to preventing problem gambling. Timothy Fongpsychiatrist and co-director of UCLA’s Gambling Studies Program, who is passionate about studying all things gambling, told me that “addiction and loneliness feed off each other.”
Young people who are swept up in addictive behavior are looking for quick ways to achieve financial and social success; they can’t resist the promise of “easy” money coming to them from their own devices. “They think, ‘I need money fast to feel good,'” Fong said. “What is missing in their lives is to develop kindness, empathy, gratitude, compassion and foster civic behavior and pride in themselves and their communities.”
Of course, young people need training in financial literature and probability, but it would be more effective to address false expectations and fantasies of getting rich through betting, he added. Children need connection with other people more than immersion in anti-gambling curriculum, especially adult mentors who can counter social media messages and misinformation.
“There’s no magic bullet,” Rogers said, acknowledging that tackling the problem will require more than one 90-minute session on the dangers of gambling. Kids need tools to succeed and better ways to minimize stress. “It’s just one piece,” she added.
Jonathan Cohenauthor of Big Loser: America’s Reckless Bet on Spot Gamblingtold me that school principals have started calling him asking for guidance on how to deal with their emerging problems, like middle school kids who talk openly about gambling and brag about their winnings. Cohen believes parents and schools need to talk to kids about gambling, at the very least, to challenge the dominant narrative spread by social media influencers and TV celebrities: that gambling is glamorous and fun and can do no harm.
