Hello from the WCPG’s Outreach Coordinator!
This fall has been very busy for the outreach program. In the month of October, we presented to 5 schools which included almost 900 students! November 2016 is on track to be our busiest month EVER; expecting to reach almost 1,100 students!
You might be wondering, “Why do students really need to learn about problem gambling? Aren’t they too young to participate?” Over the past 2 years, I have asked students in the classrooms I visit, “how many of you have placed a bet?” The majority of students report participation in some type of gambling. The most common forms of gambling reported are lottery tickets, raffles, poker, fantasy sports, and personal wagers. Our youth ARE gambling.
We teach our teenagers and young adults about the risks associated with drugs and alcohol, but often, we do not think about educating them about the risk of problem gambling. Left untreated the end result of any addiction can lead to prison, insanity, or death. This can be true of alcohol, drugs, AND gambling.
The Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling offers classroom presentations FREE to schools in Wisconsin. These presentations can be tailored to fit the specific needs of your classroom. Presentations are interactive and FUN! If you have questions about our programming options, or would like to schedule a presentation for your classroom, please contact outreach@wi-problemgamblers.org
