New York Lottery Tickets Are Not Gifts For Children This Holiday Season – Or Any Day

As the holidays get into full swing, folks are scrambling for last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers.

Among the more popular Hail Mary plays: New York Lottery scratch-off tickets.

While the lottery and its retailers certainly welcome purchases as gifts, the New York State Gaming Commission’s Division of Lottery continues to emphasize the importance of NOT gifting lottery tickets to children.

“No matter the occassion, the New York Lottery’s scratch-off tickets are not appropriate gifts for children,” Brian O’Dwyer, chair of the NYSGC, said in a press release. “This holiday season, we remind players that lottery games should be gifted only by adults to adults.”

NY Lottery stands beside Gift Responsibly Campaign

The NYSGC Division of Lottery is not alone in its annual stance against gifting lottery tickets to underage individuals.

Rather, the group joins the 2022 Gift Responsibly Campaign organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) as well as the International Centre For Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University.

The Gift Responsibly Campaign consists of radio and television public service announcements throughout the holiday season.

“Youth problem gambling has emerged as a significant and growing public health issue,” Keith Whyte, executive director of the NCPG, said in the press release. “We applaud the New York Lottery’s commitment to raising awareness about risks of youth gambling through the Gift Responsibly Campaign.

“Our message is a simple one: lottery tickets are never appropriate gifts for children.”

Raising awareness about risks of youth gambling

Research indicates that the earlier a person is exposed to gambling, the more likely he or she later develops a gambling problem. Such exposure more commonly occurs when children gain access to a lottery product of some kind. Such as scratch-offs as gifts.

As a result, according to the NCPG, 63 lottery associations and 53 non-lottery organizations around the world now participate in the 2022 Gift Responsibly Campaign.

During the final two months of 2022, participants educate their communities regarding the dangers of buying lottery tickets for children. This helps raise awareness about the risks of youth gambling while supporting the practice of responsible gambling.

Said Jeffrey Derevensky, director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors:

“The Gift Responsibly Campaign is a great way to promote responsible gambling by encouraging adults to only gift lottery tickets to other adults.”