Letter to the editor: Lottery tickets are not for kids

During the holiday shopping season, the Pennsylvania Lottery reminds players and its retailer partners to gift responsibly by discouraging the sale of lottery products to anyone younger than 18. While lottery tickets can make fun gifts for some adults, they are not intended for use by minors.

Throughout the year, the Pennsylvania Lottery is committed to the prevention of underage gambling. As part of the Gift Responsibly Campaign in partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the lottery is reminding its retailer partners to monitor self-service vending machines for underage play. Retailers also are encouraged to ask for identification to verify that lottery players are older than 18. Every Pennsylvania Lottery terminal displays messaging that players must be 18 or older to play.

According to NCPG, many young people report their first gambling experience happened when they were between 9 and 11. Research has shown the sooner a child begins to gamble, the more likely that child is to develop problem gambling issues later in life. While lottery tickets may seem like harmless fun, they are still a form of gambling and are never an appropriate gift for children.

This holiday season, remind your family members and friends about the risks associated with allowing children to gamble. Also, consider having a conversation about gambling with your kids.

Drew Svitko and Josh Ercole

Harrisburg

Drew Svitko is executive director of the Pennsylvania Lottery. Josh Ercole is executive director of the nonprofit Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania Inc.