TRENTON (Nov. 25, 2024) – Lottery game participation is meant to be a fun, entertaining and inexpensive way to wonder “what if.” The holiday season—filled with the magic of dreams—is a perfect time to dream big. However, players must be serious about how they exhibit healthy gaming practices to younger family members.

This is why the New Jersey Lottery works with Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey to help families recognize that lottery tickets are not the right gifts for minors. The Lottery remains committed to the prevention of underage gambling—not just during the holiday season, but year round.

Modeling healthy habits is crucial to preventing problem gambling down the road. Indeed, a 2023 Rutgers study indicates that problem-gambling habits start in the home at young ages. Further, as access to various gambling channels continues to grow, more than 50% of problem gamblers are between the ages of 18 and 35.

“Today, we live in a pro-gambling climate,” said CCGNJ Board President Fred W. Hogan. “The council is neither for nor against gambling, but our services are needed now more than ever. We must have a public that promotes healthy behaviors and the safety of our youth is the priority. We will continue to educate the public about gambling addiction and help those who are struggling.”

Therefore, the Lottery and the CCGNJ will continue to advocate for responsible gaming activities, including an advertising and social media campaign that urges residents to use good judgement when making holiday gift selections for children.

“I get it. People love slipping lottery tickets into holiday cards or putting them in stockings as gifts from Santa. But adults need to avoid gifting lottery tickets to children,” Lottery Director James A. Carey said. “State law requires lottery purchasers to be 18 years of age or older. While the law does not prohibit adults from giving tickets to minors, please keep in mind that there’s a lot of research—including the Rutgers study—that shows this is just not a good idea. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from people recovering from gambling addiction say how they started playing at a young age with adults.”

About the New Jersey Lottery

Since its inception in 1970, the New Jersey Lottery has contributed more than $33.6 billion to support New Jersey State’s financial obligations. Since 2012, the Lottery has been certified by the World Lottery Association as an industry leader in Responsible Gaming best practices. In 2016, New Jersey Lottery received and continues to maintain the highest level of recognition awarded by the World Lottery Association – Level 4 Responsible Gaming Framework Certificate of Accreditation – a distinction certifying that it applies responsible gaming principles in day-to-day operations with an emphasis on continuous improvement.

About the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey

Since 1983, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, Inc. has helped problem and compulsive gamblers and their families. The group was a pioneer in the compulsive gambling field and remains one of the leaders in providing professional and compassionate service to a wide range of audiences. The Council’s mission is to provide prevention, education and referral services to anyone affected by this disorder. They operate the most widely recognized gambling help number in the nation, the 1-800-GAMBLER® Helpline. The help number is now available in 20 states and offers 24-hour, immediate, confidential assistance to anyone affected by gambling problems.

About the World Lottery Association

The World Lottery Association (WLA) is an international trade organization that serves the interests of state-authorized lotteries and suppliers to the global lottery industry. The WLA serves over 150 state lotteries and more than 75 lottery sector suppliers worldwide. WLA lottery members exist to support good causes in their respective jurisdictions through the sale of responsible, ethical, and entertaining gaming products.