Gift Responsibly: Lottery Tickets 'Not Appropriate' For Kids

Lottery tickets are a popular gift during the holiday season and throughout the year. While these tickets are a legal gift for adults, the Minnesota Lottery and the Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance are reminding parents and other adults that lottery tickets should not be given to minors. Lottery players must be 18 years of age or older to purchase or redeem lottery tickets in Minnesota.

“Lottery tickets are designed for adults and not appropriate for minors,” said Lottery Executive Director Robert Doty in a statement. “The Minnesota Lottery takes the 18 year age restriction very seriously. Please enjoy the holiday season by giving age-appropriate gifts, which means no lottery tickets for children.”

A Yale School of Medicine study found that children who receive tickets as gifts tend to begin gambling earlier in life, according to a news release. Previous research has shown that the earlier children begin gambling, the more likely they are to develop gambling problems as adults, according to officials.

"We urge parents and adults not to give lottery tickets to minors during the holiday season or at any other time of the year," said Catherine Perrault, Executive Director of the Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance.

If you or someone you know needs help with a gambling problem, call (800) 333-HOPE.

Image via Minnesota Lottery, used with permission