The Jackpocket lottery app on Monday said it will be part of the 2021 Gift Responsibly campaign.
The campaign, which was organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University, is designed to build awareness about the risks of giving lottery tickets to children, the parties said.
The NCPG said Jackpocket joins more than 80 other lottery and community organizations from across the US and Canada, and around the world to promote the reminder that “lottery tickets aren’t child’s play.”
The campaign is endorsed by the World Lottery Association (WLA) and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).
Jackpocket noted it is the first third-party lottery service to receive a responsible gambling certification from the NCPG's Internet Responsible Gambling Compliance Assessment Program.
To support the Gift Responsibly campaign this year, Jackpocket published a blog post dedicated to sharing relevant data and awareness around the initiative, as well as a round of social media posts on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to remind its audience to gift responsibly.
This is Jackpocket’s fourth year participating in the Gift Responsibly campaign, the company said.
“Jackpocket strives to promote responsible gaming in all that we do,” Jackpocket founder and CEO Peter Sullivan said in a statement. “We are proud to stand with the NCPG in promoting the message that lottery tickets and scratch-offs are appropriate gifts only for adults. You must be at least 18 years old to place ticket orders on Jackpocket, and we hope that adults will avoid giving lottery tickets as gifts to minors during the holiday season – or any time of the year.”
NCPG executive director Keith Whyte added: “We are very appreciative of Jackpocket's efforts to educate adults about the potential consequences associated with underage lottery play. The evidence clearly shows that exposure to gambling as a youth increases the probability of gambling problems later in life. Regardless of what time of year it is, adults should find gift options for children other than lottery tickets.”
