The Holiday Lottery Responsible Gambling Campaign raises awareness about the risks of youth gambling. The focus during the holdiays is to educate communities on the dangers of buying lottery tickets for children. Conversations with many problem gamblers revealed that their gambling interests started at a very young age.

Early gambling experiences, including lottery tickets, are a risk factor for later gambling problems. A large number of young people report their first gambling experience was around 9 to 11 years of age. While male adolescents gamble more frequently than females. Female adolescents are more actively involved in lottery play.

Lottery scratch tickets have been shown to present a possible gateway to other gambling activities. Because of this data, Sieda Behavioral Health and Treatment Services encourages people to limit the gifting of lottery tickets to 21 years old and older. Because of the known risks associated with early gambling, vendors aren’t allowed to sell to children. Due to the “rush” that playing a game with the chance of winning money can lead them to want that feeling more.

If you or a loved one is experiencing problems because of gambling, contact Sieda Behavioral Health and Treatment Services at 641-683-6747.