Raising awareness about problem gambling and encouraging responsible play is part of the fabric of the Wisconsin Lottery. This March, the Lottery joins the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling (WCPG) to support Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
Designed as a grassroots initiative, the national campaign includes a wide range of stakeholders – public health organizations, advocacy groups, and gambling operators – who work collaboratively to inform people that prevention, treatment, and recovery services are available.
“The Wisconsin Lottery wants all of our players to be responsible, keep it fun and know their limit, not just during Problem Gambling Awareness Month, but year round,” said Wisconsin Lottery Director Cindy Polzin. “We take great pride in our commitment to be socially responsible and operate with the highest standards of responsible gaming.”
“Increasing awareness about problem gambling is key to preventing difficulties among members of our communities,” said Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Rose Blozinski. “Knowing how a recreational activity can become problematic, understanding the warning signs, and informing people about the available resources to help can minimize gambling-related problems.”
Working with more than 3,700 Wisconsin Lottery retailers across the state, the Wisconsin Lottery’s multi-media problem gambling campaign will include Lottoview video messaging and poster placement. Coverage will also involve:
- Radio spots throughout the state and on the Wisconsin Lottery’s YouTube channel
- Print ads in community publications
- Social media posts reaching more than a combined 70,000 followers
- Players Club newsletter mentions distributed to more than 58,000 members
- A digital banner on wilottery.com
Each layer of Wisconsin’s strategy observes National Problem Gambling Awareness Month and informs the public about the problem gambling helplines, text numbers, and the WCPG website. Help is available at 1-800-GAMBLE-5 or 1-800-426-2535. Online chatting and texting (850-888-4673) are also available. Calling, online chatting, and texting is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In addition, the Wisconsin Lottery will fund four yearly $150 scholarships for the WCPG’s Annual Statewide Conference. These scholarships provide conference registrations for people who might otherwise not be able to attend. This year’s conference is on March 16-17, 2023, at the Osthoff Resort.
According to the NCPG, most adults who gamble can do so responsibly. However, approximately 2 million (1 percent) U.S. adults are estimated to meet the criteria for a gambling disorder and another 4-6 million (2-3 percent) are considered to meet the criteria for problem gambling.
Last year, the Wisconsin Lottery received certification of its responsible gaming program by the World Lottery Association (WLA) with the plan to grow the program even further in the future.
In 2021, the Lottery and WCPG’s problem gambling campaign – “It’s Not So Easy To Hide,” was honored by the National American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries with a Batchy Award. The Batchy Award is among the highest honors a North American Lottery can receive in print, video, radio, and electronic media.
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