Schools have launched an anti-gambling initiative called HUG aimed at students.
HUG stands for "Handling Underaged Gambling", a programme put together by Saint Andrew's Lifestreams and the WE foundation.
In August, 50 teacher-facilitators will take to schools and engage about 10,000 students on the finer points of gambling.
More specifically, they will speak about gambling's causes, warning signs, and cures.
Through demonstrations, they will even show how striking it big is close to impossible.
One teacher is so taken by the programme she hopes to become a facilitator.
Tay Ren Jee, Department Head, Mathematics, St Margaret's Primary School, said: "Right now peer pressure is great. They go onto internet, chat line and all. In future with the integrated resorts, there may be new activities they will get involved in. So it's really very timely so that the children really know the danger. As teachers we have such impact on the children that perhaps the counselling centres don't have. By the time people reach the counselling centres they are already at a very late stage."
Teachers hope students will become aware, and influence peers and family members to stay away from this potentially destructive hobby.
James Chan, Executive Director, St Andrew's Lifestreams, said: "Through the process of implementing the programme in schools we hope to begin to rework, retune and refine the materials such that it's more contextualised in a local scene. Further to that if there is any kind of organisations, schools who are interested in a similar package, we will be glad to share the experience and the information if they so wish they can come to our training programmes as well."
Nine Anglican schools are currently taking part in this programme.
source : Channel NewsAsia
