Question of the day
Monday, Nov 22, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
An Illinois youth gambling prevention program is rolling out a holiday campaign to prevent the gifting of Illinois lottery tickets to children.
Focus Youth Gambling Prevention, a program of the Springfield-based Illinois Association for Behavioral Health, has allied with community organizations from across Illinois to raise awareness about the risks associated with giving lottery products as gifts to minors, especially during the holiday season.
The Illinois group’s initiative, organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling, the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems, and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University under the “Gift Responsibly Campaign” banner, is being funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates Focus Youth Gambling Prevention’s commitment to corporate social responsibility through the Gift Responsibly Campaign, which raises awareness about the risks associated with giving lottery products as gifts to minors during the holiday season — or any time of the year,“ said Sarah Martin, Focus Youth Gambling Prevention’s Prevention Program Coordinator. “Research linking early exposure to gambling to future problem gambling and other risky behaviors is why ‘Focus’ is involved in the campaign.”
Lotteries are a ticket to later-in-life gambling problems, expert says.
“We are very appreciative of the efforts of ‘Focus’ to educate adults and youth about the potential consequences associated with underage lottery play,” said National Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Keith Whyte. “The evidence clearly shows that exposure to gambling as a youth increases the probability of gambling problems later in life. Regardless of what time of year it is, adults should find gift options for children other than lottery tickets.”
Starting on December 1, Focus will launch its campaign that offers guidance and alternative ways to gift to children this holiday season without the need to give Illinois lottery tickets. This will include providing information on the gift responsibly campaign, discouraging adults from gifting lottery tickets to kids, and offering suggestions for other gifts.
“Our message is a simple one: lottery tickets are appropriate gifts only for adults,” said Martin.
* The Question: Have you ever given a lottery ticket to a kid? Or, did you ever receive a lottery ticket as a present when you were a kid?
- LakeCo - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
When I was a teenager my dad got me $100 worth of scratchoffs for Christmas. It was fun, but I think we netted something like $15. Lesson learned.
- Been There - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 12:59 pm:
Yes and Yes.
- Angie - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:01 pm:
==did you ever receive a lottery ticket as a present when you were a kid?==
Probably, and I also scratched off the lottery tickets that my parents received as a gift…seems like a solution in search of a problem.
- Amalia - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:01 pm:
No. and No.
- Avocado Toast - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:02 pm:
They have been a stocking stuffer in our household since I can remember.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:03 pm:
Yes and yes. It’s not my fault, Santa has left them in the stockings for the last 30 years….
- ChrisB - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:10 pm:
I had no idea this was a thing. So no.
I feel like the wall to wall sports betting commercials are a way bigger issue when it comes to exposing youth to gambling, but that’s just my two cents.
- Give Us Barabbas - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:11 pm:
For kids? No, that’s tacky. What next, a pack of smokes in their stocking too? Mini bottle of Fireball?
- twowaystreet - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:15 pm:
Received them as a kid and it actually dissuade me from wanting to spend money on them because I never won more than a few dollars.
I’ve also worked at a gas station and seen how much money people who play all the time waste. I had a woman win $10,000 from our store once but spent $300 almost every week so I doubt she really netted anything.
You’d see all kinds of things were people thought they could game the system to get winning tickets. Only buying certain tickets depending on what number in the roll they are or buying entire rolls.
- Cool Papa Bell - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
Yes. Holiday scratchers were a stocking stuffer every year I was growing up. And I still get them from my parents well into middle age.
My folks were and remain exceptionally buttoned up (don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t swear and outside of the lottery thing never gamble.)
I’ve never given my kids any but it’s not for some larger reason.
- Blue Dog - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:19 pm:
Yes. But I do believe anything under the age of 10 is a bit young. I’ve also tried to limit grandkids exposure to drafting to a similar age.
- Guy Probably - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:28 pm:
Yup - they were a stocking stuffer for as long as I can remember (along with socks… among other things). I’d be intrigued to see the research that connects occasional lottery tickets to gambling problems… I tend to think it’s not that strong.
- Leslie K - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:30 pm:
No and no, but I’d like to see the research. If a teenager (let’s say) sees parents treat the lottery as a ’special occasion only’ activity, couldn’t that actually teach them to be responsible about gambling? Or is that a ‘let your teen drink at home’ approach that doesn’t work?
I don’t know. It just doesn’t strike me as a particular problem. On the other hand, the people who can least afford it addictively spending tons of money on it each week…that and other problem-gambling behavior does concern me.
- KnopeWeCan - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:35 pm:
No. In my house, it was often a gift for when someone turned 18. Lesson learned that you’re not likely to win anything, but it was a fun little “you’re officially an adult” present.
- Excessively Rabid - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:46 pm:
There weren’t any lottery tickets when I was a kid. Irish Sweepstakes maybe. But no. And I would never get a kid a ticket because not only is it setting them in a bad direction, but they might win instead of me.
- yinn - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
No and no. But at age 19, I won a $100 bingo jackpot my first time out, and a couple years later had a similarly winning experience with slots. So now there’s a “tug” toward the activity. Slight, but definitely there, always.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:01 pm:
No, but definitely received one as a kid. Gambling was fairly common in my extended family. I don’t really have a problem with it now though. I learned early don’t wager anything you can’t afford to lose.
- Neil Oliver - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:01 pm:
Both of my middle school sons asked for Willy Wonka instant tickets for Christmas. If the lottery doesn’t want to sell tickets to kids, why do they market to them?
- Captain Obvious - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:03 pm:
Is this really a big enough problem that my tax dollars need be spent to not solve it?
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:09 pm:
==Yes and yes. It’s not my fault, Santa has left them in the stockings for the last 30 years….==
I remember an Illinois Lottery Christmas commercial (around the mid-late 80s) which showed someone wrapping and stuffing various scratchoffs into a stocking.
- Bob Meter - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:10 pm:
No lottery tickets but we do let the kids pick squares on the holiday football games. I also picked squares as a kid. Might need to rethink this in the future.
- JS Mill - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:14 pm:
No and No. Not bigf gamblers in my house now or growing up.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:25 pm:
No and no. I have a friend who plays the lottery numbers she inherited from her father. I am not aware of either of them having won anything using those numbers, but it’s a great reminder for me to not waste my money on any of it.
- granville - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 2:31 pm:
@ChrisB - that’s my thinking exactly. Watching sports again lately has been a bit of a shock, even the pregame, halftime and post-game shows are built largely around the premise of gambling now. Not win/loss, point-spread wagers, but the stuff that basically only degenerate gamblers in the past would go for.
I mean Kendall Gill is on the Bulls’ pre-game giving his opinion on whether the combined rebounds of tonight’s game will be greater than or less than 50. That’s a new thing.
I’m largely libertarian when it comes to vice control but I didn’t expect this to be so in-your-face.
- ANNON'IN - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 3:02 pm:
Given yes
Lottery not invented when we were youth. Did run the numbers slips for the home bound used tips to buy smokes
- DuPage Moderate - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 3:04 pm:
Yes and yes.
Plan to continue it as well. It’s maybe one of our favorite family holiday events - all sitting at that table yelling off what we won, but mostly lost.
We will continue to enjoy this years into the future.
- Montrose - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 3:06 pm:
Same as many - a stocking stuffer for years. Sounds like they really need to be going after Santa.
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 3:11 pm:
==I remember an Illinois Lottery Christmas commercial (around the mid-late 80s) which showed someone wrapping and stuffing various scratchoffs into a stocking.==
At that time I would have been approaching middle school, and my thought at those commercials was Why someone would give something that stupid when they could have had things like electronics, jewelry, clothes (if adults) or if they were actually kids, something like board games, big expensive toys, model railroads, electronic racetrack sets, electronics, etc. Rather than worthless lottery tickets.
- Furtive Look - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
No and no. But I have given parimutuel tickets to my grandchildren. They like it when their horse wins.
- Enviro - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 3:51 pm:
No and No. No lottery ticket gifts. No lottery ticket purchase ever.
- JDuc - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 4:10 pm:
Nope. And haven’t bought a lottery ticket in many, many years. Better off just gifting the kids some money each year.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 4:13 pm:
No and no.
At this point, though, I would be more worried about kids learning how to trade options from reddit than buying scratch tickets.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 4:33 pm:
Illinois lottery began in 1974 when I was 21, so no. Neither of my children had an interest in lottery stuff, so no on that question also.
- Blue Girl in Red County - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 5:50 pm:
Yes and yes. My family has had wagering as part of family gatherings for generations. The first thing my mom learned to read was a racing form. I was taught how to play poker when I was under 10. Card games are played before dinner at all the major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. That being said, wagering has always been low and for fun. The poker bets were a nickel a chip in the 1950s and a nickel a chip now. Our family always got together for the Kentucky Derby and everyone threw in $1 for the winner and $1 for the horse that came in last. It hasn’t been about how much is won but the glory of winning. No one in the family has developed a gambling problem. My guess is because we all knew from an early age that you are likely to lose so have fun and make sure you don’t bet too much.
- NorthsideNoMore - Monday, Nov 22, 21 @ 6:41 pm:
No and No Teach kids how to invest properly they will get much further with that in life than games of chance that are completely stacked against the player.