CONCORD, N.H. – To remind players lottery tickets are not appropriate gifts for those under age 18, the New Hampshire Lottery is teaming up with the National Council on Problem Gambling  this holiday season to raise awareness for the risks associated with underage lottery play. Through the “Holiday Lottery Responsible Gaming Campaign,” the New Hampshire Lottery, together with all U.S. and Canadian lotteries, is reiterating that holiday-themed scratch tickets, as well as other lottery games, are not suitable gifts for children and adolescents.

“It’s extremely important that we remind consumers especially during the holiday season that all of our games are for sale for those age 18 and up,” said Charlie McIntyre, Executive Director, New Hampshire Lottery. “We know scratch tickets make terrific stocking stuffers and we encourage players to consider them as gifts, however, not as a gift for minors this holiday season.”

The New Hampshire Lottery makes a concerted effort to prevent underage lottery play by including a printed reminder on all scratch tickets that players must be 18. Additionally, the New Hampshire Lottery trains retailers to check IDs for age verification before selling lottery tickets.

“The holidays are a crucial time to reiterate that lottery tickets should not be given to children as gifts,” said Ed Talbot, Executive Director, New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling. “Research has proven that the younger a person is when they start gambling, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem. We appreciate the New Hampshire Lottery’s continued emphasis on this important point.”

About New Hampshire Lottery
Since 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery has contributed more than $2 billion and counting to education in New Hampshire. For the past 56 years, the New Hampshire Lottery has recorded more than $7 billion in lottery sales and other earnings, with over $5 billion paid in prizes and other cost of sales.

The New Hampshire Lottery Commission, located at 14 Integra Drive in Concord, currently manages all lottery operations in the state, including instant games, New Hampshire Powerball®, New Hampshire Mega Millions®, Tri-State Megabucks℠, Tri-State Pick3®/Pick4® Daily Numbers games, Game 5, Fast Play games, Lucky For Life®, KENO 603℠, and iLottery. The New Hampshire Lottery also regulates charitable gaming, including Bingo, Lucky 7, and Games of Chance, along with simulcast racing, fantasy sports, and sports wagering.