Gift Responsibly Campaign

Gift Responsibly This Holiday Season:
Gifting Lottery Tickets is Gambling with Their Future

This holiday season, the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) is encouraging families to give with care—choosing gifts that bring joy without exposing children to the risks of gambling. Through our Gift Responsibly Campaign, we’re raising awareness about the dangers of youth gambling and promoting responsible gifting habits that protect kids’ well-being.

This initiative is part of the National Safe Toys and Gift Awareness Month and aims to educate about the dangers of gifting lottery tickets to youth. The Gift Responsibly Campaign was founded in the early 2000s by the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University.

Why Gambling-Related Gifts Don’t Belong Under the Tree

While lottery tickets may seem like a harmless stocking stuffer, research shows that early exposure to gambling can increase the likelihood of developing problem gambling later in life. And it’s not just lottery tickets—other gambling-themed gifts can also send the wrong message to children, including:

• Scratch-off tickets marketed with bright colors and “fun” graphics, or which feature characters or brands which may be familiar to youth (such as “Monopoly”, “Jaws”, “Uno”, “Jeopardy”, “The Game of Life”, “The Price is Right”, etc.)
• Casino-style toys or board games that mimic slot machines, roulette, or poker
• Sports betting gift cards or fantasy sports credits
• Online gaming gift cards that can be used for gambling-style apps or simulated betting games
• Video games featuring loot boxes, which encourage players to spend money for a chance at random rewards. These mechanics mirror gambling behavior by combining risk, chance, and reward, and can normalize gambling-like habits in young players.

Even when presented as “just for fun,” these gifts normalize gambling behaviors and blur the line between play and risk.

Learn More & Take Action

The Gift Responsibly Campaign urges parents, caregivers, and loved ones to leave gambling-related items off children’s gift lists. Instead, choose presents that inspire creativity, learning, and positive experiences.

Download our FREE Responsible Gifting Guide to see the facts about underage gambling and discover safe, meaningful alternatives for holiday giving.

Join the Movement

By embracing responsible gifting, you’re helping ensure that every child’s holiday is filled with joy, not risk. Share this message with friends and family, and help spread awareness by posting on social media with the hashtag #GiftResponsibly. Feel free to save and post with our Gift Responsibly Campaign social media graphic, which you can download by clicking the button below!

Together, we can make this season one of celebration, care, and responsible choices for all.

Problem Gambling Help is Just a Call or Text Away

If you are concerned about your own, your child’s, or another loved one’s gambling or risk for problem gambling, confidential and multilingual help, hope, and information are available 24/7 by calling or texting the 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine for Florida. The HelpLine may also be reached through live chat on the FCCG’s website at gamblinghelp.org, by email (fccg@gamblinghelp.org) or by connecting with the FCCG on social media, such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).