Just this past week, AFL club Essendon revealed it had turned its back on the potential windfalls created by punting.

It said it would no longer consider sponsorships from betting partners.

The Bombers are not alone on taking such a strong stance. The Kangaroos, Collingwood, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs are signatories to Victoria’s Responsible Gambling Charter.

The havoc caused to personal lives — whether it’s by betting on horse races or putting money into the pokies — clearly ruins many lives.

All this makes a push by a group of Wangaratta High School students even more commendable.

The students intend making a stand at this week’s Youth Parliament for greater regulation of gambling advertisements.

As Year 11 student Darcie Pegler says, pushing for gambling to be considered in the same boat as smoking could be an effective way to limit the harm.

It would have to be a good thing for young people to not be exposed to the pro-gambling message as the students have proposed.

Their stance is setting a strong example to the powers-that-be.

A GROUP of students from Wangaratta High School want society to perceive gambling the same way it does smoking.

The young leaders will make a stand at this week’s Youth Parliament when they push for greater regulation of gambling advertisements.

Seventeen-year-old year Darcie Pegler is among the group.

The Year 11 student said the prohibition of cigarette advertising by measures including plain packaging had limited the harmful effects of smoking.

“This bill is merely the first stepping stone in the eradication of gambling advertisements,” she said.

“We want to restrict the amount of positive gambling advertisements that are aired on prime time TV as well as pairing any pro-gambling advertisements with an anti-gambling advertisement in the same ad break.

“We propose hourly restrictions as well as separate restrictions for normal TV and prime time TV.”

Darcie said there would be restrictions in place around major sporting events, such as the AFL grand final and the Melbourne Cup.

“We believe the most important aspects of the bill are the restrictions in place around the major sporting events,” she said.

“So many children watch these events each year; events that are considered family friendly.

“Children from a young age associate gambling as a positive past time. We are trying to stop this.

“They are often hooked before they completely understand the concept of gambling.”

Darcie said the bill aimed to remove the potential for young people to be seduced by the bright lights, bells and whistles that often accompanied gambling.

“We wish to ban billboards that promote gambling and also provide warnings on all games and applications that have gambling related themes,” she said.

Darcie said she and her fellow young parliamentarians were deeply passionate about the issue.

“The amount of money that is poured into the gambling industry could be used to better the economy and improve liveability in communities around Victoria,” she said.

“In Wangaratta alone there are major crimes committed every month as gamblers try to steal money to pay back their debts.

“The amount of lives that are ruined due to gambling should be reason enough for the State of Victoria to adopt this bill.”

A Gaming and Liquor Regulation spokesman said the state government had committed to working closely with industry and community groups to foster responsible gambling and prevent and address problem gambling.

“The government shares community concern regarding the insidious nature of problem gambling on both the individual and their family and friends,” the spokesman said.

“The Gambling Regulation Act 2003 already prohibits advertising that is associated with gaming machines and places limits on the content of advertising by wagering service providers.

“The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation is getting inspectors back out on the beat to ensure liquor and gambling laws are appropriately and efficiently enforced, in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.”