I REFER to Wednesday's article, 'Council to nip problem gambling among youth in the bud'.

I applaud the National Council on Problem Gambling for proactively trying to curb gambling addiction. At the same time, I question the effectiveness of any steps taken short of making gambling illegal.

Gambling addiction is only one of the many forms of addiction - with alcohol, drug, smoking and sex addictions - that plague society.

Although they are all terrible and destructive, there seems to be a double standard in the way we deal with them. Tactics employed depend on the bottom line - whether or not it can become a source of national revenue.

Cigarettes are very harmful to health, but, because millions are made in taxation, they are allowed to be sold with just a warning label on every pack. Now, to make sure every cigarette is taxed, they are individually marked.

Gambling will never be made illegal here because potential revenue is just too great.

The step to bar 29,000 undischarged bankrupts and those on public assistance from the casinos is a small step, but in the wrong direction.

It is merely a token act. Also, it can be seen as discrimination because one group of people is singled out.

To be fair, the same strategy should be taken with alcoholics and drug addicts, barring them from outlets serving alcohol and pharmacies respectively. Creating such a blacklist is not kind or necessary. It is a case of double jeopardy: humiliating someone twice for a single mistake. I have faith in the network of family and friends to do what is right for the person in question.

If we really have the interest of youth at heart, we should introduce classes on the value and management of money in primary and secondary schools.

As soon as a child can add, he is ready to earn an income, be taught to plan a budget and follow it. This should be done in partnership with the child's parents as that is where his income will come from.

Loke Parc Sen

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Oct 4, 2008.

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