By Dan McCarthy
Mail

Just days remain to buy Christmas presents, and lottery tickets will be a last-minute go-to for some shoppers.

But Arizona Lottery officials warn that they are not for everyone.

“They are fun, affordable, conveniently available and offer something more than a traditional present,” Cydeni Carter, Arizona Lottery’s public information officer, said.

A reason for concern, though, is that players may not be aware of the risks associated with giving tickets as gifts to people under 21.

“We want people to pause for a moment and make sure their gift-giving choices are age appropriate.”

The Arizona Lottery is a part of the 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign, joining lotteries and community organizations internationally to raise awareness about the risks of underage lottery use.

Research shows that early exposure to or participation in gambling during childhood is correlated with the development of a gambling problem later in life, state lottery officials said.

Gambling exposure during childhood is sometimes through a lottery product, such as lottery tickets or scratch-offs. Often, they are given to a child by an adult who is unaware of the risks, Carter said.

“A key part of our mission is to operate with integrity and protect the communities we serve. That includes making sure lottery products are never placed in the hands of minors,” Arizona Lottery Executive Director Alec Thomson said.

“Participating in the Gift Responsibly Campaign helps us reinforce an important message during the holiday season. We want community members to know that lottery tickets may be fun for adults 21-plus but are never appropriate for children.”

Carter said the holidays are an especially important time to send the warning because “gift-giving is happening quickly and often without much thought.

“Lottery tickets are convenient to buy, they feel festive, and people may not stop to consider the age of the recipient. That combination makes this season higher risk than others.”

As a participant of the 2025 campaign, the Arizona Lottery is promoting awareness about the risks of underage lottery use by running a campaign using paid ads, social media and retailer education.

“We’re grateful to the Arizona Lottery for joining this effort and working to expand education and awareness to protect young people from gambling-related harm,” said Derek Longmeier, president of the National Council on Problem Gambling, which organized the campaign.

“I would encourage adults to remember that kids learn by watching us,” Carter said. “Lottery tickets are meant to be fun entertainment for adults, not an activity for kids. That is what responsible gifting is all about.”

For more information about responsible gambling resources, visit arizonalottery.com/responsiblegaming

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Dan McCarthy
Web content

dmccarthy@iniusa.org

Meet Dan
Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.

Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. 

Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey. 

Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.