By: Najla Alexander
NJ Lottery officials announced that New Jersey Lottery (NJL) Executive Director James Carey and Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, Inc. (CCGNJ) Executive Director Felicia Grondin joined together for a videotaping to raise awareness about the Lottery's annual "Not 18 Yet? No Bet" awareness campaign.
According to officials, this campaign reminds residents and retailers that New Jersey law prohibits the sale of lottery tickets by or to anyone under the age of 18.
During this event, held at Corner Xpress, 5 Lawrenceville Pennington Road in Lawrence Township, a Lottery retailer lottery officials say they each renewed their organization's commitment to responsible play and the prevention of underage gambling of any kind.
"Our State Lottery has a longstanding commitment to promoting responsible gaming and discouraging underage Lottery play," said Carey.
"We work closely with the CCGNJ to raise awareness about the age restriction on lottery play in New Jersey, and we support the Council's ongoing efforts to prevent underage gambling."
As part of its effort, the New Jersey Lottery has developed a "Not 18 Yet? No Bet" brochure providing information about the major types of teen betting and ways to recognize signs of a possible gambling problem in young people, officials stated.
Officials said the brochure also provides information about where to receive advice and assistance for anyone with concerns about underage gambling problems.
These brochures are available at all Lottery retailer locations, at all Lottery-sponsored exhibits and events, and may be downloaded from the njlottery.com website, officials say.
"The Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ provides its community and school-based outreach programs free of charge. One of our focuses is preventing the onset of gambling addiction among adolescents and young adults, so the New Jersey Lottery's message and support are particularly important," said Grondin.
"The Lottery continues to be a great partner in promoting the importance of responsible gambling and in publicizing the Council's helpline number. If a parent thinks their child might have a gambling problem, they can call 1-800-GAMBLER; we offer support, treatment, and hope."
