The PSHE curriculum was updated in September 2020 to include education surrounding gambling harm for the first time. [1, 2] Despite this change, compared to drugs, alcohol and tobacco education in Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, education on gambling harm is neglected. [3]
There is no mention of gambling education in the PSHE primary education curriculum (Table 1) despite the increasing convergence of gambling and gaming.
In secondary education, pupils are only required to learn about the risks of online gambling and debt accumulation (Table 2). There is no mention of addiction to gambling and the physical and psychological risks and consequences on the individual who gambles and those around the individual who gambles. Unlike what is seen in the curriculum for drug, alcohol, and tobacco education, there is also no mention of links to other mental health conditions.
The difference in the amount of coverage on the PSHE curriculum shows gambling harm is not taken as seriously as alcohol and substance addiction despite the WHO reporting that "the gambling-related burden of harm appears to be of similar magnitude to harm attributed to major depressive disorder and alcohol misuse and dependence. It is substantially higher than harm attributed to drug dependence disorder." [4]
It is also important to note that gambling harm is only included in the curriculum within 'internet safety and harms' in spite of a significant amount of gambling harm arising from land-based venues.
Moreover, the inclusion of gambling disorder in the DSM-V in the ‘Addictions and Related Disorders’ category alongside substance addictions suggests the need for a holistic and overarching view of addiction in meaningful education and awareness. [4]
Table 1 – Primary
By the end of primary school:
| Internet safety and harms | Drugs, alcohol and tobacco |
Pupils should know |
| the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking. |
Note. Taken from gov.uk website (3)
Table 2 – Secondary
Schools should continue to develop knowledge on topics specified for primary as required and in addition, cover the following content by the end of secondary:
| Internet safety and harms | Drugs, alcohol and tobacco |
Pupils should know |
|
|
Note. Taken from gov.uk website (3)
References
1) PSHE Association and GambleAware launch gambling education handbook. Available from: https://pshe-association.org.uk/news/pshe-association-and-gambleaware-launch-gambling
2) T Menmuir. UK Schools to introduce Gambling curriculum for September 2020. SBC News. 16 March 2020. Available from: https://sbcnews.co.uk/sportsbook/2020/03/16/uk-schools-to-introduce-gambling-curriculum-for-september-2020/
3) Government curriculum. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1019542/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf
4) Professor M Abbott. The epidemiology and impact of gambling disorder and other gambling-related harm. World Health Organisation. 26 June 2017 https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/substance-use/the-epidemiology-and-impact-of-gambling-disorder-and-other-gambling-relate-harm.pdf?sfvrsn=5901c849_2
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