With the holidays quickly approaching, lottery tickets and scratch-offs may seem like the perfect stocking stuffer or gift to throw in a card. They are small, fun, and have an element of surprise as everyone waits to reveal whether they have won money or not.
District Health Department #10 (DHD#10) would like to remind everyone that while these gifts are popular and may seem harmless, giving lottery tickets and scratch-offs to children can lead to serious unintended consequences.
While adults may enjoy scratching off lottery tickets as a fun, chance-based activity, winning is rare, and most understand that winning is based on luck. However, for children, even a small win can feel significant. For example, winning $40 might be a fun surprise for an adult, but for a young teen, it could spark a desire to play again.
"Research has shown that the earlier kids are given the opportunity to gamble, the more likely they are to develop problem gambling," said Liz McCall, DHD#10 Public Health Educator. "If you do plan to give out scratch-offs as gifts, it's a great opportunity to use winning or losing as a teaching moment about gambling."
This holiday season, protect your children by kindly reminding family and friends that lottery tickets and scratch-offs are not appropriate gifts for kids. Do not forget to have a conversation about gambling with your kids as well. It is never too early to explain the risks of problem gambling and why it is important to wait until they are older to make decisions about participating in gambling activities. Instead, encourage them to enjoy other fun, safe, and healthy holiday activities.
For more information about problem gambling and how to get help for someone experiencing problems, please visit: https://www.dhd10.org/men-women/problem-gambling/.