Australian government has developed a statewide program aimed at preventing young people from becoming addicts

Australia to warn youngsters about dangers of gambling

Realizing consequences of teenage gambling problem Australian government has developed a statewide program aimed at preventing young people from becoming addicts.

According to their plan, school mathematics classes will inform children as young as 10 of the dangers of gambling. Authorities believe this warning will stop youngsters being involved in an explosion of problem gambling, reported News.com.au.

Community Services Minister Kay Patterson said that the government is now considering a large-scale anti-gambling campaign to prevent young people from turning into compulsive gamblers. He cited statistics which found that more than a quarter of Australian problem gamblers were under 25.

"We might need to tackle them differently to older groups. Perhaps you could do it in classes with mathematics, in probabilities – so that people could realize the likelihood of them winning. It's one way of showing how mathematics can be applied in everyday life," said Patterson.

According to Gaming Minister John Pandazopoulos, the school program is expected to begin in 2006. "We're not ruling it out. We're going to look at the whole curriculum. Young people are aware of gambling. They see it on movies, they see their parents, and especially at this time of year," he said.

Community Services Minister Kay Patterson also wants to provide new regulations at casinos and pokie venues, reported Herald Sun.