Lottery tickets are popular holiday gifts in North Carolina, but the N.C. Education Lottery is joining more than 50 lotteries around the world and the National Council on Problem Gambling to remind its players that tickets are not appropriate gifts for teens or children.

“We know North Carolinians like buying our holiday tickets to bring fun and joy to holiday gatherings and parties,” said Alice Garland, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “But from working with our partners in the area of problem gambling, we also know that some who develop a gambling problem report their first experience came when they were young. We’re asking lottery players to gift responsibility so that doesn’t happen this year.”

The responsible gifting message is part of the Education Lottery’s partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University. Keith Whyte, executive director of the council, said a record number of lotteries joined the campaign this year.

“We believe responsible gambling is a positive approach to minimizing gambling-related harm and therefore maximizing public benefit,” Whyte said.

The Education Lottery makes many efforts to prevent those under 18 from playing the lottery. They include:
- Printing a “You Must Be 18 Years of Age To Play” reminder on every ticket and advertising and marketing materials.
- Training lottery retailers to check IDs before selling lottery tickets.
- Enforcing the no sales to a minor law in a partnership with state law enforcement agencies.
- Providing $1 million a year to support the N.C. Problem Gambling Program, which provides an evidence-based gambling prevention program to middle school and high school students in the state.

“We welcome the collaborative efforts of lottery corporations worldwide to help raise awareness about this issue,” said Jeffrey Derevensky, director of McGill University’s Youth Gambling Centre. “Together we can make a difference in preventing underage gambling and gambling problems.”

For more information contact:

- Sushmita Upadhaya, Program Administrator, National Council on Problem Gambling. www.ncpgambling.org/holiday. (202) 547-9204, sushmitau@ncpgambling.org.

- Lynette Gilbeau, Research Coordinator, International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors, McGill University, www.youthgambling.com. (514) 398-4438, lynette.gilbeau@mcgill.ca.