Gambling is not child’s play

Every year, especially in the run-up to Christmas, Austrian Lotteries emphasises that gambling products are not suitable gifts for children and adolescents.

This year, Austrian Lotteries is once again participating in the international “Gambling is not child’s play” campaign. The aim is to sensitise the public to the fact that gambling products do not belong in the hands of children and adolescents, and they are not considered suitable gifts for anyone under the age of 18.

Erwin van Lambaart, Director General of Austrian Lotteries, had this to say: “For us, gaming first and foremost represents a responsibility that we take very seriously. That is why we promote responsible behaviour. For us, that means that professionalism in game management and player protection are top priorities. It also means being aware of our social responsibility, and that’s why we have supported the Gift Responsibly Campaign since its inception.”

Results of international studies show links between the age of first contact with gambling and the likelihood of experiencing gambling-related stress later in life. This was the impetus for the initiators of the “Gift Responsibly Campaign” – the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), Washington DC, and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University, Montreal – to launch this campaign under the previous name: “Holiday Lottery Campaign”.

Since then, over 80 responsible lotteries around the world have taken part in this campaign, actively helping to ensure that their gambling-related products don’t end up in the wrong hands.

For Austrian Lotteries, it is a matter of course as part of its socio-political responsibility to raise awareness of the “Gambling is not child’s play” message in the run-up to Christmas every year. The campaign is present in all retail outlets that offer Austrian Lotteries products. In addition, postings on the Austrian Lotteries Facebook page remind people that lottery tickets, break-open tickets and scratch-off tickets are not considered to be suitable gifts for children and adolescents.