Dr. Nassim Tabri, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Psychology, Carleton University [email protected] Online Based Lottery – Jurisdictional Review An online search was conducted to identify: 1. The major lottery corporations that offer their customers the opportunity to purchase local lottery tickets online (via a website and/or gaming application), the lottery operators that provide people the opportunity to purchase international lottery tickets, and associated responsible gambling (RG) features. 2. The lottery corporations in different jurisdictions that provide customers with the option to participate in a second chance lottery (i.e., scratch/lotto tickets purchased at a physical storefront and that gives players a second chance at winning via an online lottery), and RG features in place related to these second chance lotteries. Findings 1) Purchase of lottery tickets online (via website and/or gaming application) and responsible gambling features. An online search was conducted to identify the major lottery corporations that offer their customers the opportunity to purchase local lottery tickets online (via a website and/or gaming application) in North America (Canada and the US), Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), and the United Kingdom. The summary also includes a review of the lottery operators that provide people the opportunity to purchase international lottery tickets (i.e., international jurisdiction). For each jurisdiction, a description of any responsible gambling (RG) features associated with purchasing lottery tickets online (via website and/or gaming application) are described. Canada. All jurisdictions (except Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory) provide customers with the opportunity to purchase lottery tickets online. Below is a summary of each jurisdiction that provides its residents with the option to purchase lottery tickets online and any related responsible gambling (RG) features. In Manitoba and British Columbia, people can purchase lottery tickets online via PlayNow.com. Note that PlayNow.com does not offer a gaming application with which to purchase online lottery tickets via a mobile device. In terms of RG features, customers must be 19 years of age to open an account with Playnow.com. Playnow.com verifies age and residency information by having their customers input their name and contact information, and a valid credit card (see here). Customers also have the option of viewing information on responsible gambling via GameSense (see here)—a website that contains information on how different games work (to enhance gambling literacy) and information on resources for problem gambling (e.g., voluntary self-exclusion). Likewise, in Ontario, people have the option to purchase lottery tickets online (see here). In terms of RG features, customers must register with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) to obtain an account. OLG vets all applicants using several criteria 1 Dr. Nassim Tabri, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Psychology, Carleton University [email protected] including age (must be at least 18) and exclusion status (must not be an excluded individual) among other eligibility criteria (see Terms and Conditions point 4 here). For customers that successfully register with OLG, they are required to indicate that they are eligible to play and are responsible for their own actions (see here) each time they log into the OLG website. Of note, taking responsibility for one’s actions is a key feature of responsible gambling and positive play (see here). In addition, customers can only fund their online gambling activities using a credit or debit card and OLG has the discretion to limit customers’ ability to fund their gambling activities (see point 5.3 in Terms and Conditions here). Although this not a responsible gambling feature per se, OLG has the discretion to curtail the gambling activities of customers who are using multiple credit cards to fund their online gambling activities—a possible indicator of disordered gambling. Moreover, OLG provides its customers (and other people visiting their website) with information on responsible gambling and resources for problem gambling via PlaySmart.com (see here). In Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick), people have the option of purchasing lottery tickets online via a website (for QC, see here, for Atlantic, see here) and/or via an online gaming application (for QC, see here, for Atlantic, see here). Like Ontario, Quebec residents who want to purchase lottery tickets online must first register with Lotto-Quebec (see here). To register, customers must be at least 18 years of age, be a resident of QC, and “Not currently registered in a self-exclusion program from Québec gaming halls and/or casinos, or not self-excluded from the Site” (see section 4 in the regulations here). Lotto-Quebec verifies this information using a third party before an account is activated (see section 5.1 in the regulations here). In terms of RG strategies, Lotto-Quebec provides customers with regular reminders of the time spent playing and amounts bet or spent, and a permanent clock to keep track of time (see here). As well, Lotto-Quebec provides customers the ability to customize their deposit and spending limits as well as their time spent gambling, and to monitor their financial transactions and gaming over time (see here). Moreover, Lotto-Quebec provides information on responsible gambling (e.g., how games work; see here) and offers customers the opportunity to self- exclude (see here). A similar procedure exists for residents of the Atlantic Provinces. That is, residents of the Atlantic Provinces must first register with the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) to open an account to purchase lottery tickets online (via the website and gamming app). To register, customers must be at least 19 years of age and be a resident of one of the Atlantic Provinces (see points 3.1 and 3.2 in Terms and Conditions here). They must also undergo a verification procedure that will examine the accuracy of their personal information (e.g., bank or other financial institution and related account information; see point 3.3 in in Terms and Conditions here). It is unclear from the Terms and Conditions whether ALC verifies whether customers are currently on a self-exclusion list prior to account registration, but it might be safe to assume that they do. In terms of RG features, ALC provides information on responsible gambling (e.g., how games work via PlayWise; see here), the opportunity to use self-assessment tools to evaluate their play behaviour using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), the opportunity to self-exclude, literature on risks of youth gambling, and access to GamTalk—an online forum for anyone who wants to discuss gambling-related issues (for links to these RG features, see here). 2 Dr. Nassim Tabri, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Psychology, Carleton University [email protected] Furthermore, the Canadian lotteries that provide customers the ability to purchase online lotto tickets (i.e., ALC, BCLC, Loto-Quebec, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation, and OLG) have all been awarded a Level 4 World Lottery Association Responsible Gambling Certification for their high standards of corporate and social responsibility (see here). To achieve Level 4, lotteries should have (1) integrated specific RG programs into their day-to-day operations and decision- making, (2) integrated stakeholder feedback and considered their expectations regarding RG program development, (3) their submission accuracy and reliability assured by an external independent assessor, and should have(4) established formal internal and external reporting mechanisms on their RG commitments, actions (see here). United States of America. Illinois, Georgia, and Kentucky are the only states to allow online purchases of individual lottery tickets (Minnesota formerly allowed the sale of lotto tickets online; see here). Thus, the summary of RG features of online purchase of lotto tickets will be restricted to these three states: For residents of Illinois, they have the opportunity to purchase online tickets via the Illinois Lottery website (see here) or gaming app (see here). In terms of RG features, the Illinois Lottery may verify customers’ age and identity via third parties (see section V “Actions We May Take” in Terms and Conditions here). The website also provides customers with information on responsible play, the self-exclusion program, and resources to identify and help problem gambling (see here). In 2013, the Illinois Lottery was awarded a Level 3 World Lottery Association Responsible Gambling Certification for its high standards of corporate and social responsibility (see here). To achieve Level 3 certification, lotteries are required to have (1) allocated sufficient resources to support the implementation of specific RG programs, (2) Initiated the development of internal and external communications activities to inform relevant stakeholders of the lottery’s RG commitments, and (3) initiated the implementation of engagement processes that support the development of a RG program (see here). For residents of Georgia they have the opportunity to purchase online tickets via the Georgia Lottery website (see here) or gaming app (see here). In order to purchase tickets online, all customers must have an iHope prepaid debit card (see here)—this