“Lottery tickets are not for children” – drop off a toy, get an entry to win RI Lottery prize pack

Drop off a toy – get an entry to win a $100 Lottery Prize Pack. That’s the strategy of the Rhode Island Lottery as it announces its 2021 Gift Responsibly Campaign, joining more than 80 other lotteries and community organizations from across the US and Canada, and around the world in a message that Lottery tickets are not for children.

The campaign is organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University. It is endorsed by the World Lottery Association (WLA) and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).

“…[This is the] Rhode Island Lottery’s commitment to social responsibility through the Gift Responsibly Campaign, which raises awareness about the risks associated with giving lottery products as gifts to minors during the holiday season — or any time of the year,” said Mark Furcolo, Rhode Island Lottery Director. “Research linking early exposure to gambling to future problem gambling and other risky behaviors is why Rhode Island Lottery is involved in the campaign. Our message is a simple one: lottery tickets are appropriate gifts – only for adults.”

To help spread the message that Lottery tickets are not for children in the Gift Responsibly initiative, the Rhode Island Lottery will join 92 Pro FM and Hot 106 in a Toy Drive benefiting Toys for Tots. New and unopened toys may be brought into the Rhode Island Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, November 15, 2021, through December 2, 2021.  The office will be open to collect donations Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For each donated toy, participants 18 and older will receive an entry to win a $100 Lottery Prize Pack. For more information, visit RILOT.com. 

“We are very appreciative of Rhode Island Lottery’s efforts to educate adults and retailers about the potential consequences associated with underage lottery play,” said NCPG Executive Director Keith Whyte. “The evidence clearly shows that exposure to gambling as a youth increases the probability of gambling problem later in life. Regardless of what time of year it is, adults should find gift options for children other than lottery tickets.”