FAQs: The Lottery and problem gambling
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Q. Why is the Lottery concerned about problem gambling? A. Like encouraging responsible gambling, mitigating harms that arise from gambling is central to our mission of operating the Lottery commensurate with the public good. The Legislature dedicates one percent of Lottery revenues to funding problem gambling treatment to mitigate such harms, and the Lottery also runs focused and well-funded advertising and public information campaigns to encourage responsible gambling and connect Oregonians and their family members with free problem gambling treatment.
Q. How many problem gamblers are there in Oregon? A. According to the most recent study (2006) of the prevalence of problem gambling in Oregon, approximately 2.7 percent of Oregonians fall into the category of problem gamblers. That translates to about 81,000 Oregonians.
Q. Have Oregon Lottery video and traditional products contributed to a greater problem gambling prevalence rate in Oregon? A. No. The data does not suggest that. What we do know is that the prevalence rate for problem gambling has remained flat in Oregon for the past 30 years. During that time the proliferation of gambling opportunities, from Indian casinos to online sports betting and poker rooms, grew exponentially. The Oregon Council on Problem Gambling attributes this lack of growth to aggressive prevention and outreach efforts.
The Oregon Health Authority has commissioned a new prevalence study that is scheduled for completion this winter and may provide us with more information on the topic.
Q. Do most problem gamblers in Oregon gamble on video terminals? A. That’s hard to say. What we do know is that most Oregonians in state-sponsored treatment programs say that they gamble on video terminals, and nearly three-quarters report Lottery retailers are their primary gambling location. This makes sense since Oregon Lottery retailers with video terminals are the most conveniently-located gambling venues in the state.
Q. What does the Lottery do to help problem gamblers? A. One percent of Lottery revenues is dedicated to funding free problem gambling treatment. The Legislature transfers these funds, over $10 million this biennium, to the Oregon Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Programs. OHA then distributes this money to providers across the state.
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The Lottery also works with its partners in the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling and the Oregon Health Authority to: Create a problem gambling resources website. Contract with GamTalk, an online community for people with gambling issues and their families, to discuss and learn more about positive steps they can take to avoid gambling or get treatment. People can access this resource through the Oregon Problem Gambling Resources website. Create chat and message lines to providers so that problem gamblers can discuss issues in modes of communication most comfortable to them. Create search engine marketing that delivers messages to people actively looking for help.
Q. What does the Lottery do to communicate about problem gambling treatment directly to players? A. The Lottery has many avenues of direct communication with players and their families: Ongoing TV advertising Ongoing ad campaign on the Internet Advertising and materials in English and Spanish on TV, radio and the Web 1-877-MyLimit help line phone number and link to the Oregon Problem Gambling Resources website on every Lottery webpage 1-877-MyLimit sticker on every video lottery terminal. Oregon Problem Gambling Resources brochures are available at every retailer and at the Lottery’s Player Services and reception counters.
Q. How many Oregonians receive free Lottery-funded treatment every year? A. Approximately 1400 Oregonians seek and receive free treatment annually.
Q. How effective is treatment? A. Treatment is very effective. More than 85 percent of treatment enrollees report improvement at 12-month post-treatment follow-up and 74 percent report no gambling activity 12 months following treatment.
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FAQs: The Lottery and responsible gambling
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Q. What is responsible gambling? A. Players gamble responsibly when they set a budget, a time limit and play for entertainment only.
Q. What is the Lottery’s philosophy about responsible gambling? A. Encouraging our players to play responsibly is part of our mission: to generate revenue commensurate with the public good. We know that there are risks involved in gambling and we want to help prevent any harm that playing our games may create. So it’s not just a philosophy; responsible gambling is central to our mission.
Q What’s the Lottery’s message to players about responsible gambling? A We encourage our players to keep their entertainment entertaining. The goal of our responsible gambling efforts is that all players gamble responsibly all the time.
Q. Isn’t responsible gambling bad for our business? A. No. Providing responsible gambling guidelines is not only good customer service but also helps create a more sustainable player base. Besides that, it’s the right thing to do.
Q. How is the Lottery promoting responsible gambling? A. We recently adopted a Responsible Gambling Code of Practice that embeds responsible gambling values and practices into every aspect of our business.
Q. Can you give me a few examples of how the Lottery is practicing the code? A Yes. For example: Responsible gambling provisions are written into our contract with retailers. We are working with an internationally recognized expert to build retailer training programs readily available to all retailers and servers via the Internet. The Video Lottery Retailer Advisory Group is on board to train their staff as our pilot group. We are creating training for our own Lottery staff. We are educating all of our new hires about the code and its importance to Lottery business. We are working with the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Council on Problem Gambling, advocates; and, treatment and prevention experts to connect problem gamblers with treatment and have created a website and materials devoted to the topic.
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We spent over $2.7 million on responsible and problem gambling advertising in FY 15, more than we spent on any one product and nearly 14 percent of our annual advertising budget.
Q. How is the Lottery working with retailers to promote responsible gambling? A. The Lottery recognizes and promotes a shared responsibility with its retailers for the promotion of responsible gambling practices and awareness of problem gambling resources. Retailers have agreed to the following in their contract: Display and provide customers with problem and responsible gambling materials and resources. Provide customers with Lottery-supplied materials regarding the nature of games, game rules, odds, and return to players. Key persons must take responsible gambling training. Retail staff who provide lottery products to customers must take responsible gambling training. Minors are prohibited from designated gambling areas. Comply with the Lottery’s line of sight rules and guidelines. Not to allow a visibly intoxicated customer to continue gambling. Make good faith attempts to provide hospitality services and make players aware of the passage of time to encourage breaks in play. Not to provide credit or lend money for the purposes of gambling.
Q Will we expect retailers to intervene when they suspect someone is a problem gambler? A. No. Our training will emphasize how to promote responsible gambling to customers as a customer service (explanation of the games, the odds, the probability) to avoid the issues that problem gamblers bring to their establishments. People who are having difficulties with their play can negatively impact the experience of other customers in an establishment.
Q. Does the Lottery work with others to promote responsible gambling? A. Yes. The Lottery partners with the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling to conduct studies, consult on advertising, create materials and websites and share information. The Lottery also works with retailers to promote awareness of problem gambling resources, responsible gambling practices and gambling myths.
The Lottery also communicates directly with players through: Ongoing TV advertising Ongoing ad campaign on the Internet Advertising and materials in English and Spanish on TV, radio and the web
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