HAMILTON – The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey has joined forces with the New Jersey Lottery to discourage the gifting of lottery tickets to minors this holiday season.
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ urges parents to use good judgment in making holiday gift selections for their children. According to Donald Weinbaum, Executive Director of the Council, “Parents really can make a difference and reduce the risk of children developing gambling problems. Let’s send the right message this year and refrain from giving lottery tickets to young children.”
Lottery tickets are easy choices to slip into a gift or holiday card. They are generally affordable, colorful and easily available. But while the law does not prohibit adults from giving tickets to minors, research suggests this may not always be a good idea.
A recent Yale University study confirmed that youngsters who received instant tickets as a gift tended to begin gambling earlier in life. Adult problem gamblers frequently report beginning gambling during childhood, often at ages 9-10 and with other family members. There also is strong evidence that 70-80 percent of adolescents have gambled for money in the past year, and 30 percent are gambling on a weekly basis.
