Maryland Lottery encourages responsible gifting to ages 18 and up
As the holiday season approaches, many people are shopping for the perfect gift. The Maryland Lottery strongly encourages responsible play, and at this time of year it’s especially important to remember that Lottery tickets should never be given to anyone under the age of 18.
The Maryland Lottery is proud to once again join with lotteries across the country to support the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Gift Responsibly Campaign, which is an annual initiative to educate the public that children should not be exposed to gambling.
It is illegal for Maryland Lottery retailers to sell tickets to anyone under 18, and the Lottery is in the process of adding “18+” signage in stores and on the video displays in its self-service vending machines to reinforce that message and remind customers of the age restriction.
“We’re very careful about reviewing the games we launch and the images we use in our marketing efforts to make sure we aren’t appealing to children,” said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin. “Lottery tickets are a great gift idea for adults, but a lot of people may not know about the documented impact that exposure to gambling can have on children.”
According to the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, there are multiple reasons to prevent minors from gambling. Most notably, research has shown that children who participate in potentially addictive activities are more likely to have difficulty moderating their participation as they grow older.
“Although it may not seem significant on the surface, giving Lottery tickets to minors can actually increase their risk for developing a gambling problem later in life,” said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Responsible Gaming Director Jasmine Countess. “Adults should not encourage or facilitate underage gambling, and should remember that Lottery tickets are not the right gift for kids.”
According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 15% of Maryland high school students reported gambling in the last year. Around 4% of Maryland adults are problem gamblers and the percentage of youth problem gamblers is likely higher than 4%.
The Lottery supports its ongoing responsible play efforts with annual training required for all employees and retailers, as well as collaborative educational sessions with staff from the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling. In December, the Lottery will submit its application for the Sustaining Level (the highest of three levels) in the Responsible Gambling Verification Program, which is jointly operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. The program requires lotteries to continually evaluate and enhance their responsible gambling initiatives across the full range of operations, from employee and retailer training, to public education and marketing efforts.
For more information and videos on responsible gaming, visit the Responsible Play page at mdlottery.com.
