Gifts of Lottery Tickets Not Recommended for Kids

With the holiday season now in full swing, shoppers are buying bunches of Arkansas lottery tickets to give as gifts and stuff in stockings. 

The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) is reminding parents and other adults that these tickets, while colorful, entertaining and affordable, are not appropriate holiday gifts for children and teens under the age of 18. 

"Parents and caregivers, uncles and aunts, grandparents and friends see the lottery as fun and entertaining, and they may forget that it is for adults only. We will continue to partner with our retailers and the Arkansas Department of Human Services to promote a clear message:  Lottery tickets are not child's play," said Julie Baldridge, ASL Interim Director. "The vast majority who choose to play the Arkansas Lottery do so responsibly, but our legislators knew what they were doing when they set the legal age for lottery play at 18. I absolutely will be giving tickets to friends and family," she said, "but never to children."

ASL offers several tips to minimize risks associated with youth gambling:

• Don't involve your underage children in your Lottery activities
• Give youngsters age-appropriate gifts
• When you give Lottery tickets as presents, be sure to keep the person's age in mind

If you or someone you know may be affected by a gambling problem, additional information is available by calling the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.