Holiday Gift Reminder from the Oregon Lottery, Nov. 28

While age restriction messages are prevalent on all Oregon Lottery sales terminals and tickets, the Lottery increase its responsible gaming messages during the holiday season. “During the holidays, Oregon Lottery Scratch-its and other Lottery games are fun and easy to use as gift tags or slip into holiday cards,” said Stacy Shaw, Oregon Lottery senior marketing manager and board member of the National Council on Problem Gambling. “We urge everyone to remember during the holidays – or anytime for that matter – to give Oregon Lottery tickets only to people who are 18 years old or older. This age restriction applies to buying and playing Lottery Scratch-its and jackpot games and we are asking that those giving games as gifts remember this when tucking any Lottery game into a stocking.”  The “give responsibly” message appears on the Lottery’s holiday games’ website pages and other advertising, reminding players not to give Lottery games to anyone under the age of 18 as gifts. Lottery Senior Marketing Communications Manager Mark Strickler adds, “For the past several years, we’ve created 15-second TV ads that carry the give responsibly message that mirrors our current holiday games advertising campaign.” The Oregon Lottery has recently launched a new mobile app that enables players to check for winning tickets, get notifications and information about Lottery games. Equally important among the app’s features is access to a suite of responsible gaming tools including responsible gaming tips, budgeting and timer tools, and a cost to play calculator that explains to players the cost of regular Lottery play and how it equates over time. This marks the ninth-year that the National Council on Problem Gambling and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at Canada’s McGill University have partnered with lotteries around the world, including the Oregon Lottery, to promote giving lottery tickets responsibly.