ialottery blog

Awareness + Action = Help Is Available In Iowa For Problem Gambling

During the next few weeks, you’ll see this video and other reminders across the state for National Problem Gambling Awareness Month. At the Iowa Lottery, we put these messages out there in the hope that we’ll get the right information at the right time to someone who needs help.

Whether you’re in line to buy a lottery ticket, watching TV, listening to the radio, surfing the web or using a streaming service, you’ll likely soon see one of the public service announcements we produced along with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Remember that problem gamblers can come from any background – young or old, male or female, rich or poor. The one constant is that problem gambling is treatable.

The hashtag you’ll see during the next month is #AwarenessPlusAction, emphasizing the way we all can pull together to make a difference.

If you ever have questions about problem gambling, know that help is available 24/7 in Iowa by calling 1-800-BETS OFF or visiting yourlifeiowa.org, the website of the Your Life Iowa program. You can reach someone there through text, secure chat, video, email, telephone or in person.

In Plain Speak: New Tools To Help You Play Smart & Be Informed About The Lottery

We’ve been working for a while now on two new tools that have just gone live to help you best understand the details about playing the lottery.

Think of it this way: You wouldn’t buy a new vehicle or even a phone without first doing your research. So just like you gather information in other areas of your life, you can choose to be informed when you play the lottery by using the new tools.

One of them is a new section that just debuted today on the Iowa Lottery website. The eight-page section, called “Play Smart, Be Informed,” is a player’s guide to help you make informed decisions when you play the lottery.

The section includes details about how to play within your means, understand the odds in lottery games, and be a responsible winner. It also includes a list of common myths vs. the facts about lotteries and an interactive quiz you can take to see how you’re doing in understanding the details. We designed the quiz so that after taking it, you’ll receive a score like those from the classroom: 100 percent, 80 percent, etc. You can translate your numerical score into a corresponding grade (A-F), and decide if you need to keep studying. 

The section concludes with a page that focuses on what you can do if you think your lottery play has gotten beyond your control. The page includes this central statement: “If you’re worried that you’re spending too much on lottery tickets, or feel like playing the lottery is causing you stress or making you unhappy, don’t do it.”

A link to the new Play Smart, Be Informed section is in the grey footer area at the bottom of all pages on our website.

The other new tool designed to encourage informed decisions is on our lottery self-service kiosks and terminals in the 2,400 businesses in Iowa where lottery
tickets are sold. It’s a new “Play Responsibly” icon. By touching the icon, you can print a message about the help available in Iowa for problem gambling.

We recognize that it can be hard to have a conversation about problem gambling. So, by using the icon on a lottery self-service kiosk, you can print out a message that describes the many ways that help can be accessed in Iowa. The message states: “If you worry that you’re playing beyond your means or just have questions about problem gambling, help is available 24/7 here in Iowa through live chat, text, email or phone. Visit yourlifeiowa.org or call 1-800-BETS OFF. At the Iowa Lottery, we mean it: Playing smart is a lot more fun.”

The new Play Responsibly icon also has been added to the screens of Iowa Lottery terminals, and retail employees can use it to print out the same message.

Knowing that some people might worry whether use of the new icon is being monitored, we specifically programmed it so it can’t be tracked. We will not know how many times the icon is utilized, or from where that happens. We hope that decision can help clear the way for the information to make it at the right time to someone who needs it.

Gift-Giving Reminder: Think About Age Restrictions & Content

With the arrival of the holidays, please consider this gentle reminder as you’re shopping for gifts in the days ahead.

We know that lottery tickets will be among the items that people give as presents and put in stockings this year. And at the Iowa Lottery, we’re glad that our products can be part of the fun! But remember that our tickets may not be something you want to give to those underage.

That holds true for lots of products: The content of some video games and movies may not be appropriate for all ages. Alcohol and tobacco-related products have their own age restrictions. Even toys have age-recommendation guidelines. 

In Iowa, you have to be at least 21 years old to buy lottery tickets, and we’ve always considered our products as something reserved for adults. Remember that you are gambling when you play the lottery. 

Be sure to give youngsters age-appropriate gifts in general, and when you give lottery tickets specifically, please keep the person's age in mind to minimize the risks associated with youth gambling.

We also echo the message from the Iowa Department of Public Health about the help that’s available in our state for problem gambling. If you’re concerned that someone you know is struggling with their gambling or if it is an issue for you, there are resources that can help day or night. You can call 1-800-BETSOFF (1-800-238-7633) or go to the Your Life Iowa website to reach help through secure chat or text.

Problem Gambling Reminder: Help Is ALWAYS Available In Iowa

 

We highlight it at this time of year, but remember that help is available 24/7 here in Iowa if you ever have concerns about problem gaming.

March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Over the course of the next few weeks, the public service announcement you see here will air statewide. We’re joining the Iowa Department of Public Health in reminding you to have the conversation if you have a concern about problem gambling.

Remember that problem gamblers come from many backgrounds. They can be rich or poor, young or old, male or female. Problem gambling can affect people of every race and religion, and every education and income level. The one constant is that problem gambling is treatable.

Signs of problem gambling include:
• Thinking a lot about gambling, such as past gambling experiences, future gambling ventures, or ways of getting money for gambling
• Needing to gamble with larger amounts of money or with larger bets in order to get the same feeling of excitement
• Repeatedly trying to cut down or stop gambling without success
• Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling
• Gambling to run away from problems or to get relief from feeling depressed, anxious, or bad about yourself
• Often returning after gambling losses to try to win back money
• Lying to family members, friends or others in order to hide gambling activities from them
• Losing or almost losing a significant relationship, job, or an educational or career opportunity because of gambling
• Relying on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling

If you ever have questions or concerns about problem gambling, visit https://yourlifeiowa.org/gambling to learn about the help available by phone, in person, or through secure chat or video.

We’ve received tremendous support from television stations, cable systems, radio stations and outdoor billboard companies that will run this month’s PSAs at no cost. We hope that by reaching out, we can get the right information at the right time to someone who needs it.

Help With Problem Gambling: New Option For Self-Exclusion

There’s a new option available in the Iowa Lottery’s voluntary self-exclusion program for those seeking help with problem gambling. As of Saturday (July 1), players can now sign up for either a five-year self-exclusion or a lifetime, irrevocable exclusion.

The lottery has offered a self-exclusion program since 2005 as an additional tool for those trying to make positive changes after their lives have been impacted by problem gambling. The lottery’s self-exclusion agreement bans those who sign it from the lottery's five regional offices and allows the lottery to deny prize payments at a lottery office to those players. That prevents the person involved from receiving any lottery prize more than $600, as those must be claimed directly from the lottery. The agreement also prevents the person from receiving any lottery promotional materials. The program is designed to act as a deterrent by taking away the incentive to play lottery games for those who have issues with compulsive behavior.

Anyone who wants to enter into a voluntary self-exclusion with the lottery signs a contract we provide and has it notarized, then turns it in at a lottery office. (We have notaries in our offices who can assist with that step in the process.)

Anyone signing a voluntary self-exclusion also will be given information about the help available through the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program and 1-800-BETSOFF, that program’s 24-hour hotline.

The lottery maintains a computer database with the names and Social Security numbers of those who have signed its self-exclusion contract. The lottery checks information against the database when someone tries to claim a prize at an Iowa Lottery office. Those players on the list are denied prize payment. The lottery also removes from its mailing or promotional lists the names of those who enter into self-ban contracts.

With the changes to the program that took effect Saturday, some people also now have the option of requesting that their names be removed from the lottery’s existing self-exclusion list. To be eligible to request removal from the list, you must have entered into a self-exclusion agreement prior to Saturday and been on the lottery’s self-exclusion list for at least five years. You then can request that the lottery remove your name from the list. Once the lottery confirms that you have been on the list for at least five years, your name would be removed and you would receive notification of that from the lottery. You then could again visit lottery offices and claim prizes there.

Click here to download the form to request removal from the list. When the form is completed, return it to any Iowa Lottery regional office. Removal from the lottery’s list is not effective until the form has been processed and the person making the request receives confirmation from the lottery.

Player Mail: If I Win The Lottery, Do I Pay Taxes?

Here’s a question we get a lot from folks who wonder about the withholdings that apply to lottery prizes compared to other types of winnings, such as prizes claimed at a casino or in a raffle. There are different laws that apply in each of those instances, and our expertise is obviously in the law as it applies to the Iowa Lottery!

The Iowa Lottery does not withhold tax for prizes of $600 or less. By law, prizes of more than $600 will face 5 percent state withholding. If a player wins a prize of more than $5,000, an additional 25 percent federal withholding will apply when the prize is claimed.

All winners of prizes of more than $600 will receive a Federal Form W2-G from the Iowa Lottery. The form shows the prize you won and all taxes withheld. You’ll need to include that form and the information from it when you file your income taxes for the year in which you claimed your prize.

The withholdings are a credit toward the taxes owed -- winners may get some of it back, or they may have to pay more, depending on their income.

For prizes won in a particular calendar year, the lottery will mail out Form W2-G to our winners no later than Jan. 31 of the following year. If you’ve won a prize of more than $600 and you’ve moved since you claimed the prize, be sure to contact us at 515-725-7900 and provide us with your updated address. That way we’ll mail your W2-G form to the right place!

Player Mail: So How Much Do I Take Home After Withholding?

As we near the end of the current tax season, there is one tax question that we’re frequently asked here at the lottery: How much do I take home after taxes?

If you win a lottery prize of at least $5,000 there will be money withheld from your total winnings for state and federal withholding – that’s the law - but it’s not as much as you might think.

The state withholding rate in Iowa is 5 percent and it applies to all lottery prizes of $600 or more won in our state. The federal withholding rate is 25 percent and it applies to all lottery prizes of $5,000 or more.

So, in general if you’re claiming an Iowa Lottery prize of $5,000 or more you can assume that you’ll take home about 70 percent of your total prize after withholding.

Here are a couple of examples:

1. John Smith claims a lottery prize of $10,000. After state withholding ($500) and federal withholding ($2,500), John takes home a check for $7,000.
2. Jane Doe claims a lottery prize of $1,000. Since her prize is less than $5,000, no federal withholding applies; only state withholding ($50), so she takes home a check for $950.

We also recently produced a video for winners that explains what happens when you win the lottery. There’s a section in the video that talks about taxes. You can view the video here.

And don’t forget that you’ll receive a tax form in late January/early February that has a record of any lottery prize of more than $600 that you won in the previous year and the withholding from it so you can document that when you file your income taxes for the year.

Something To Consider: Is That Gift The ‘Right One’?

In the spirit of the holidays, we offer this thought bubble to keep in mind as you’re shopping for gifts in the next few weeks.

We know that lottery tickets will be among the items that people buy to give as presents and stuff in stockings. And we’re all for having fun! But here at the Iowa Lottery, we offer this gentle reminder that our tickets – while colorful, entertaining and affordable – may not be something you want to give to those underage.

The same holds true for other products. Some video games and movies may not be appropriate for all ages because of their content. Alcohol and tobacco-related products have their own age restrictions. Even toys have age-recommendation guidelines.         

In Iowa, you have to be at least 21 years old to buy lottery tickets, and we’ve always considered our products to be something for adults. Remember, you are gambling when you play the lottery.

The lottery offers these reminders to minimize the risks associated with youth gambling:

• Be sure to give youngsters age-appropriate gifts.
• When you give lottery tickets as presents, please keep the person's age in mind.

And as always, if you or someone you know is being impacted by problem gambling, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-800-BETSOFF (1-800-238-7633) or visiting www.1800betsoff.org.

Now Can Be The Time To ‘Have The Conversation’

Public service announcements have begun running in Iowa this week, reminding all of us to “have the conversation” about problem gambling.

We produced the PSAs with the Iowa Department of Public Health to highlight that March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month. The goal of the awareness effort is to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and raise awareness of the issue.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, know that help is available all across our state through the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program. Please call 1-800-BETSOFF or visit www.1800betsoff.org if you’re looking for more information. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We’ve received tremendous support from television stations, cable systems, radio stations and outdoor billboard companies that have agreed to run the new PSAs at no cost. It’s our hope that this combined effort will provide the right information at the right time to someone in need.

Thought Starter: Is That Gift The ‘Right Fit’?

Something to think about as you’re holiday shopping in the next few weeks…

We know that Iowa Lottery tickets will be among the items that shoppers buy to give as gifts and stuff in stockings. And we’re all for having fun! But here at the Iowa Lottery, we offer this gentle reminder that our tickets – while colorful, entertaining and affordable – may not be something you want to give to those underage.

The same is true for other products, too. Some video games and movies may not be appropriate for all ages because of their content. Alcohol and tobacco-related products also have their own age restrictions.   
 
In Iowa, you have to be at least 21 years old to buy lottery tickets, and we’ve always considered our products to be something for adults. Remember, you are gambling when you play the lottery.
 
The lottery offers these reminders to minimize the risks associated with youth gambling:
 
• Be sure to give youngsters age-appropriate gifts.
• When you give lottery tickets as presents, please keep the person's age in mind.
 
And as always, if you or someone you know is being impacted by problem gambling, help is available by calling 1-800-BETSOFF (1-800-238-7633) or visiting www.1800betsoff.org.

Important Reminder This Month - And All Year Long

 

You’ll see public service announcements starting this weekend and airing the rest of this month about the help available here in Iowa for problem gambling. We produced the PSAs with the Iowa Department of Public Health to highlight that March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month.   

The goal of the awareness effort is to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and raise awareness of the issue. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Have the conversation.”

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, know that help is available in our state through the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program. Please call 1-800-BETSOFF or visit www.1800betsoff.org if you’re looking for more information. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We’ve received tremendous support from television stations, cable systems and radio stations across the state that have agreed to run the new PSA at no cost. Billboard companies also are running PSA messages on their screens. It’s our hope that this combined effort will provide the right information at the right time to someone in need.

Can’t Say It Enough: Don’t Fall For Lottery Scams!

We’ve produced a new warning video about lottery scams as a follow-up to the latest blog entry I wrote about them last month. And it’s great to see other organizations joining in the push to spread the word about the dangers posed by scam artists. Thank you to the Better Business Bureau for its new video about lottery scams! Check it out here.  

The bottom line is: Protect yourself. Be on guard against scam artists and don’t fall for their tricks.

The Top 5 Things We Hear …

There are some topics that come up again and again in the lottery world, so I’ve put together a list of the Top 5 for you today.

The undisputed No. 1 is the whole cash vs. annuity argument -- Which is chosen more often? Which is better? What happens to “the rest of the money” when you choose the cash option? We answer all that and more in this video.

No. 2 on the list has got to be the urban legend that “no one from here ever wins.” Check out what we have to say about that here.

No. 3 focuses on easy picks vs. play slips in our lotto games. Which type of play is made more often? Are you more likely to win with one or the other? We answer that here.

No. 4 is a question about lottery proceeds, and specifically, where that money goes here in Iowa. Click here to find out.    

And No. 5 on the list is the question asking whether you can remain anonymous in Iowa when you claim a lottery prize. The short answer is no, but we give the complete details here.          

All The Fun In LeClaire For ‘Mike’s Picks’

LeClaire definitely turned out to help us celebrate the kickoff of the “Mike’s Picks” game and promotion! Check out all the fun in this video.

Appropriate Gifts This Season

With the holiday season in full swing, we know that Iowa Lottery tickets will be among the items that shoppers are buying to give as gifts and stuff in stockings.

And we’re all for fun during the holidays! But here at the Iowa Lottery, we offer this gentle reminder that our tickets -- while colorful, entertaining and affordable – may not be something you want to give to those underage.

In Iowa, you have to be at least 21 years old to buy lottery tickets, and we have always considered our products something for adults. Remember, you are gambling when you play the lottery.

The lottery offers these reminders to minimize the risks associated with youth gambling:

• Be sure to give youngsters age-appropriate gifts.

• When you give lottery tickets as presents, please keep the person's age in mind.  

And as always, if you or someone you know is being impacted by problem gambling, help is available by calling 1-800-BETSOFF (1-800-238-7633) or visiting www.1800betsoff.org.

It’s National Problem Gambling Awareness Week

This week marks the 11th anniversary of an important nationwide initiative. So, while we talk about our big winners and games and promotions, we also want you to know about National Problem Gambling Awareness Week, which is being marked this week.

The goal of this grassroots public awareness and outreach campaign is to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and raise awareness that help is available. The theme this year is “Problem Gambling: A New Understanding of a Community Concern.”

According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, some 2-3 percent of the U.S. population will have a gambling problem in any given year, but only a small fraction of those folks seek out treatment and self-help recovery programs.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please know that help is available here in our state through the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program. Please call 1-800-BETSOFF if you or someone you know has concerns about problem gambling.