Personal Response to Current Affairs

This is my second personal response to current affairs, which is on issues regarding teenagers. This article was taken from the Straits Times on February 16, 2007. The write of this article is Yap Su Yin.

Youth gambling: Nipping it in the bud

This articles talks about the importance of rooting out youth gambling, and also explores some of the interactive initiatives aimed at young potential gamblers. All teenagers, exposed to many gambling behaviours, are prone to becoming gamblers themselves in later life. It is alarming to me how often teenagers like to bet with one another in our current society. It is scary to know that I also could become a gambler if I am not aware of gambling issues.

Many teenagers develop potential gambling habits early. Parents do not emphasise the importance of not gambling that much on children, thus the children do not realise how serious the consequences of gambling can get. They start risk behaviours early, betting small amounts of money with one another on unimportant outcomes. Sometimes, these children will deny the bet and refuse to pay the other. Over time this kind of behaviour can become a habit. However, it is apparent that this kind of behaviour would not be tolerated in the real society. A worse scenario is when you gamble without thinking and land in heavy debts, threatening you and even your family life.

Though schools have given education on the consequences of gambling, the lecture format of informing the students turns them off. Undoubtedly, lectures are boring and uninteresting, leaving them disinterested and turned off. Most teenagers nowadays prefer more modern and “cool” ways of informing people, such as videos. Youths are an important group to inform on problem gambling as they are one of the groups most prone to become gamblers. This is very true as studies have shown that many Singaporeans became gamblers at a teen age. Thus, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has come up with new interactive methods to get anti-gambling messages across to teenagers.

One of these methods is a schools roadshow, which has mobile exhibits as well as interactive, educational games about problem gambling. Another method involves screening a short film depicting gambling issues, and followed up by getting youths to discuss the issues raised. Films and games are helpful, as these interactive methods will get the necessary message across to the teenagers more effectively than a mere talk or lecture. The discussions also help teenagers to think more critically about these gambling issues, making them realise the many pitfalls of problem gambling.

To understand this article, I need to know what attracts teenagers and what does not in order to understand the rationale in organising these interactive events. However, as I am also a teenager, I tend to think little of potential gambling behaviours that even I occasionally demonstrate. Thus it is harder for me to understand why these organisations are making such a big fuss out of young potential gamblers. However, I have learnt that I should never treat gambling problems lightly, and should do my best to get rid of them should I ever show the potential. If there is a problem, no matter how small, it should be gotten rid of immediately.