PIERRE, S.D. (DRGNews) – The South Dakota Lottery has joined lotteries and community organizations around the world to raise awareness about the risks of underage lottery use.

The Gift Responsibly campaign is part of the South Dakota Lottery’s year-round efforts to promote responsible play. The Lottery provides responsible gambling resources on each of its products, including the toll-free problem gambling helpline.

Executive Director Norm Lingle says research shows the earlier a person’s exposure to gambling is in childhood, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem later in life. He says gambling exposure during childhood is often through some kind of lottery product, such as scratch tickets, and often these items are given to a child by an adult who is unaware of the associated risks.

Lingle says the South Dakota Lottery has been a viable source of entertainment and revenue for the state for more than 35 years. But, he says, they also remind players to play responsibly through initiatives like the Gift Responsibly Campaign.

During this holiday season, the South Dakota Lottery will work to promote awareness about the risks of underage lottery use by promoting responsible gambling resources and facts on social media, it’s website, retailer training and more. The Lottery also reminds players to “Keep the Fun Good” through a dedicated webpage, social media messages and an advertising campaign.

The campaign is organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling and the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University. The South Dakota Lottery has received certification for its responsible gambling efforts through the NCPG and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries.

Keith Whyte, NCPG Executive Director, says lottery tickets “are never appropriate gifts for children.”