US Advises Against Gifting Lottery Tickets to Children

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) in the United States and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University have launched a campaign to identify risks associated with gifting lottery tickets to children.

The “Responsible Gifting 2023” campaign, now in its sixth consecutive year, aims to raise awareness that an early fascination with random and quick monetary gains can lead to gambling issues in later life. About 66 lotteries and 84 public organizations worldwide, from New Zealand to Croatia, have expressed their support for the campaign.

According to NCPG’s 2022 data, parents often gift lottery tickets to children aged 9 to 11 years. Additionally, 60% of survey respondents reported they started gambling in their childhood.

In a notable case from 2019, a 15-year-old boy from Romania won hundreds of thousands of euros in a Spanish lottery. He planned to either buy a new smartphone or invest in a “small apartment” with his winnings.