Gaming and gambling are very similar activities; the gambling industry even uses these terms interchangeably. The main difference between the terms is that for gaming the outcome is achieved by skill, not chance, whereas for gambling, the opposite is true.
Gaming provides young people with an escape from reality, the chance to create a world where they can be in control. Playing games with peers is an important part of childhood development. For many young people nowadays, they play in the virtual online space, however the Gambling Commission say that gaming can be a route into betting, with close to a million young people exposed to gambling through "loot boxes" in video games or on smartphone apps.
Secondary schools have been required to teach 'the risks related to online gambling including the accumulation of debt’ as part of statutory Health Education (PSHE) since 2020.
The statutory guidance for schools and colleges for keeping students safe in education was updated to include gambling in 2022. This includes making students aware of risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing, and/or financial scams.
Gambling and gaming also appears in the updated Relationships and Sex Education (RSHE) guidance 2025 to be implemented by September 2026, placing greater emphasis on online harms, including new references to gaming and gambling.
In a digital world, gambling is more accessible than ever, and efforts to encourage young people to gamble are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Prevalence statistics demonstrate the need to ensure all pupils, in all schools, are taught the knowledge and skills to be able to successfully negotiate these opportunities and influences.
If you would like any support/advice please email kentchft.wholeschoolhealth@nhs.net
- Ygam their aim is to raise awareness and upskill professionals through their free training. They can offer your school a Bespoke workshop at a time and date of your choice, either online or face to face.
- GamCare provide a range of services to support young people from in person workshops, digital tools and resources to online support and indirect support for professionals and parents. They also deliver interactive workshops directly to young people, providing them with the facts about gambling, in an open and non-judgemental way.
- The PSHE Association has lesson plans for KS2 and KS4 on gambling prevention.
- The Gambling Commission has published its 2024 Young People and Gambling Report, it's annual study into children’s and young people’s exposure to, and involvement in gambling.