ialottery blog

A Thought To Keep: Please Reserve Lottery Tickets For the Adults On Your Gift List

Here’s a reminder for the holiday season, but it really applies at any time of the year.

At the Iowa Lottery, we know that in the next month or so, lottery tickets will be given as gifts and put in stockings. And we’re not trying to tamp down on your holiday spirit!

But please remember that our tickets are something to be purchased by adults, for adults.

That’s true for a lot of gift possibilities. Some video games and movies aren’t appropriate for all ages. Alcohol and tobacco-related products have 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 something for adults. You are gambling when you play the lottery.

We want our products to go to those who are mature enough to enjoy that entertainment. Research from the National Library of Medicine notes that adolescents and young adults are more vulnerable to the risks of gambling because their brains are still developing.

So if you’re giving lottery tickets as gifts, please keep them for the adults on your list.

And as always, if you or someone you know has questions about problem gambling, please know that help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week here in Iowa. You can text and live chat by visiting Your Life Iowa or call 1-800-BETSOFF (1-800-238-7633).

Better Days Are Possible: Help Is Available In Iowa For Problem Gambling

At this time each year, we pause to highlight National Problem Gambling Awareness Month and the help available here in Iowa for those who are struggling.

During the next few weeks, you’ll see this video and other reminders from us across the state. At the Iowa Lottery, we hope that by getting the message out, we’ll provide the right information at the right time to someone who needs help.

Whether you’re buying a lottery ticket at a store, watching TV, listening to the radio, using a streaming service or going online, you’ll likely 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 universal detail for all of them is that problem gambling is treatable.

If you ever have questions about problem gambling, know that help is available 24/7 in Iowa by visiting yourlifeiowa.org or calling 1-800-BETS OFF. The free and confidential help is available there through text, secure chat, video, email, telephone or in person.

The hashtag you’ll see during the next month is #PGAM2022, with messages from public health officials, treatment providers and lotteries across the country. By working together, we’re emphasizing awareness plus action to offer help to those who need it.

Our Reminder Note: Lottery Tickets Are For The Grown-Ups

Here’s a reminder note we hope you’ll think back to as you’re shopping for gifts in the next few weeks.

Lottery tickets are popular as presents and stocking stuffers, and we’re all for having fun! But here at the Iowa Lottery, we’re also cognizant that our tickets – while colorful, entertaining and affordable – may not be something you want to give to those underage.

That same thing holds true for a wider range of products, too. Some video games and movies may not be appropriate for all ages due to 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 that our products are for adults. Remember, you are gambling when you play the lottery.

The Iowa 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 has questions about problem gambling, know that help is available 24/7 by text, live chat or telephone through the Your Life Iowa website or the 1-800-BETS OFF helpline.

This Month & All Year, Remember: Help Is Available 24/7 In Iowa

Throughout the month of March, you’ll see messages from the lottery on a variety of platforms to remind us all that it’s National Problem Gambling Awareness Month. We hope that by highlighting this issue, we’ll get the right information at the right time to help someone who needs it.

Whether you’re 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 with the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation earlier this week recognizing March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in Iowa. And during Sunday’s 10 p.m. local newscasts, our PSA will be shown by television stations statewide. Then the bulk of our messages will run throughout the following week on outdoor billboards, radio stations statewide, local broadcast and cable channels; and digital audio and video platforms. Some messages will continue to air through the end of March.          

Problem gamblers can come from any background. 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 to reach the help available by phone, in person, or through secure chat or video.

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.

We Mean It: If Playing Stresses You Out, Don’t Do It

A recent conversation has stuck with me, and I’m sharing the background from it here on the blog in the hope it can help anyone who’s struggling with gambling.

A man reached out to us to say he’s unhappy that he hasn’t won many lottery prizes, and he expressed concern about how much he plays. He wondered if we’d care about what he had to say.

We do care.

I shared with him something we absolutely mean here at the Iowa Lottery: If playing the lottery is stressing you out or causing you to worry, then don’t do it. We never want anyone to play beyond what they can afford. You’ve heard us say, “Playing smart is a lot more fun,” as a quick way to signify that.

Just like the image above of people coming together to support each other, know that help is always available here in Iowa if you or someone you know is struggling with gambling. The Your Life Iowa program is always just a click away, and 1-800-BETSOFF, the statewide hotline for problem gambling, is available through live chat, texting or telephone.

Our Gentle Reminder: Choose The Right Gift

With the holiday season underway, we offer this gentle reminder 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 put in stockings. And here at the Iowa Lottery, we’re all for having fun! But please remember that our tickets – while colorful, entertaining and affordable – may not be something you want to give to those underage.

That’s true for other products as well. 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 https://yourlifeiowa.org/gambling.

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.

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.

Watch For Our New PSAs Starting Sunday Night

This weekend, we’ll begin airing new public service announcements to spread the word 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 spread the word that help is available. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Navigate Problem Gambling.”

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 if you or someone you know has concerns about problem gambling.

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 across the state 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.

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.