Community Corner

Connecticut Lottery: Gambling is Not Child's Play

Connecticut Lottery Corp. reminds us to make sure not to encourage youth gambling and practice responsible gift-giving.

 

From a press release sent by Connecticut Lottery Corp.:

With the holiday season now in full swing, the Connecticut Lottery Corp. would like to remind parents and adults that lottery tickets, while colorful, entertaining and affordable, are not appropriate holiday gifts for children and teens under the age of 18.

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“Parents and caregivers are urged to help promote responsible behaviors by giving gifts that are age-appropriate.  We will continue to partner with our retailers and the mental-health community to promote a clear message that gambling is not child’s play,” said Anne M. Noble, president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery Corp.  “While the vast majority of persons who choose to engage in gaming activities do so responsibly, we cannot ignore that gambling can be risky behavior, especially for our youth.”

According to Lori Rugle, director of the problem gambling services unit for the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, “The younger a child begins to gamble, the more likely he or she is to develop gambling problems.  Therefore, it is very important for parents and other adults to realize that gambling is not a risk-free activity.  We know that teens whose parents talk with them about the potential risks involved in gambling activities are less likely to develop problems.”

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This busy retail holiday season, the Connecticut Lottery would also like to encourage all consumers to give and play responsibly — whether buying gifts for adults or purchasing for their own entertainment.  Several tips are offered to minimize risk behaviors associated with youth gambling:

  • Don’t involve your underage children in your Lottery and other gaming activities
  • Set a responsible behavior example for youth by giving age appropriate gifts
  • If you choose to offer a lottery product as a present, be sure to remember that you keep the person’s age in mind

 The Connecticut Lottery joins the National and Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling and the McGill University International Centre for Youth Gambling (Montreal, Canada) in calling attention to this important issue during the gift giving season.

The Connecticut Lottery, which became a founding member of the Connecticut Partnership for Responsible Gambling more than a decade ago, also participates in the Connecticut Committee for Gambling Awareness, which includes representation from all of the gaming organizations in the state, as well as the Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services, and the Connecticut Council for Problem Gambling.  Additionally, the Lottery is an active participant in the Connecticut Women's Problem Gambling Project.

If you or someone you know may be affected by a gambling problem, additional informational booklets are available in gaming establishments, Lottery retailers, offices maintained by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, or by calling the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-346-6238, or visiting http://www.problemgambling.org.


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