GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As you run around to pick up those last-minute stocking stuffers, a local organization is reminding holiday shoppers that some gifts might not be appropriate for all ages.
It might seem like no-big-deal and harmless fun, but Rose Blozinski, the Executive Director with the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling, says little gifts such as scratch-offs and lottery tickets should be kept out of the hands of children.
“Give your lottery tickets to other adults and buy the kids something else is kind of the general thought process on that,” she says.
She says one lottery ticket won’t instantly give a child a gambling problem, but the concern is that it’ll set them up for trouble down the road.
“The younger you start gambling the higher risk you have of developing a problem as an adult and later on in life,” explains Blozinski.
Another concern is the many aspects of gambling that would especially appeal to kids.
“It’s the excitement of the unknown, it’s kind of a risk-taking thing,” she explains. “You want to just be cautious when doing that with kids.”
She adds that adults should go-ahead and open their scratch-off or lottery tickets if they’re around kids, but take the opportunity to explain to them the potential problems that excessive gambling could have on an individual.
“I think if you’re opening them around the children it’s a great opportunity to say ‘You know when you’re an adult most people can gamble for fun, but there are times when someone can have a problem with this,’” she says.
And even with all the concerns, it shouldn’t be a problem if you’re buying lottery tickets for another adult.
“Buying lottery tickets and other types of gambling are a form of entertainment for most people and can be fun, but for five percent to seven percent of Wisconsin’s population gambling can be a problem,” says Blozinski. “We feel it’s important to let parents, grandparents and others know that lottery tickets are not a good gift choice for children.”
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem you can call the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLE-5.
More information on their organization can be found here.
