The decision to gamble
is a personal choice.
If you gamble, playing
responsibly should be
important to you and the
people you care about.

Responsible gambling
means keeping the game
in perspective, limiting your
involvement so that it
doesn't negatively affect
your job, mood, finances,
relationships or self esteem.

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation is committed to being a responsible advertiser, using standard and acceptable advertising and marketing guidelines. As the largest annual contributor to the State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Chronic Gamblers Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund, the CT Lottery continues to expand its social responsibility efforts to provide consumers with information necessary to finding help for a gambling problem and preventing a problem from developing.

Through its advertising budget, the CT Lottery provides ongoing financial support needed for all responsible play advertising and promotional initiatives.

To view the CT Lottery's efforts, visit:  A Commitment to Social Responsibility & Responsible Play

Lottery proceeds help Connecticut's citizens with addiction issues:
Since 1996, the Lottery has contributed a total of $14,675,000 to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Chronic Gamblers Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund. In fiscal year 2009, the Lottery will provide more than $1.9 million to the fund.

2008 - Retailer Education and Training:
The CLC developed a new responsible gambling training program for retailers called "Response-Able Business Practices for Retailers". The cornerstone of the program is a video that contains vignettes featuring real-life retailers and real-life stories with special interest and of special consequence to our retailers. The objectives of the program were to increase general knowledge and awareness of responsible gambling among retailers, to increase retailer skills in applying the Lottery's responsible gambling policies and to create awareness about the potential impact on retailer businesses as a result of employees and players with gambling problems. Every new and existing retailer was asked to participate in the training program and input feedback to Lottery staff. As a result of many positive comments, the Lottery has expanded the program to include an instructional video installed directly on the new wagering terminal and corresponding point-of-sale materials to assist retailers with communicating responsible play to their employees.

2008 - Public Service Campaign: "The Big Game" remake.
A 30-second television piece to raise awareness of teenage gambling issues. Parents viewing the piece are reminded to talk with teenage children about gambling before it becomes a problem.

2008 - Public Service Campaign: "Family Dinner."
A 30-second television piece to raise awareness of the impact gambling can have on family life. Focusing on the help and assistance that is available to family members of problem gamblers, it encourages viewers to help themselves find understanding and guidance in dealing with the gambling problem of a family member. This PSA was a collaborative Partnership effort, and is currently included in the Lottery's advertising rotation.

2008 - Public Service Campaign: "Gambling Isn't Child's Play."
A 30-second radio piece aimed at education regarding the legal age for lottery play. It reminds listeners that gambling isn't child's play, and encourages reaching out to the CT Problem Gambling Helpline for more information and guidance. This PSA is currently included in the Lottery's advertising rotation.

2006 - Employee Education and Training:
Nearly 200 people including the Connecticut Lottery Corporation's 130 employees, its board members and representatives from the state's Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services unit, Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, and Bettor Choice programs participated in a full-day training session to heighten awareness of and sensitivities to the issues surrounding gambling to face head-on the issues and risk factors surrounding gambling addiction, as well as the impact gambling addictions can have on health, family, finances, and business. Joanna Franklin, a certified addiction counselor and chief trainer for the Institute for Problem Gambling in Maryland, facilitated the program, whose message was "Life in Balance."

2006 - Public Service Campaign: "New Home."
A 30-second television piece to raise awareness of women's gambling issues. Focusing on the positive impact reaching out for help can provide, viewers are reminded that gambling addiction does not need to be handled alone. "There's help and hope," sends a powerful message of recovery to viewers. This PSA was a collaborative Partnership effort, and is currently included in the Lottery's advertising rotation. "New Home" was cited by the National Council on Problem Gambling as its 2006 "Electronic Media" award winner.

2004 - Public Service Campaign: "Hard Call."
A 30-second radio piece featured UConn Huskies Coach, Jim Calhoun, to remind parents and adults of the need to be involved in helping youth to avoid gambling addition issues. This PSA was a collaborative Partnership effort.

2004 - Consumer Education: "There's Help and Hope."
In collaboration with the CT Women's Problem Gambling Project, a pocket-card reference guide to gambling addiction services was created and funded by the CT Lottery. The card was created to raise awareness of service providers statewide.

2003 - Consumer Education: "Be A Winner. How to Get Help When Gambling Just Isn't for Fun."
On behalf of the Partnership, the CT Lottery produced and distributed this responsible play brochure, which provides information on signs of addiction, and where to get help. Displayed at all retail locations as well as on its web site, "Be A Winner" is a valuable reference tool and resource guide.

2003 - Retailer Education and Training:
The CT Lottery is one of the first lottery jurisdictions in the United States to proactively undertake a responsible play educational program for the entire retailer network. The program encompasses a video presentation highlighting "Good Business Practices" as it relates to problem gambling issues associated with the retail environment. Our goal is simply to generate awareness about this sensitive issue and to have our retail partners understand the importance of displaying literature, point-of-sale, and help-line information near their lottery machine.

2003 - Gambling Awareness Week Sponsor:
As part of our commitment to Gambling Awareness Week in 2003, the Lottery's Board of Directors issued a resolution endorsing our pledge to raise awareness about the dangers of underage gambling. The Lottery produced an award-winning public service announcement that illustrated in vivid detail the warning signs, as well as the risks and dangers, of youth gambling. It urged parents to get involved in the lives of their children through an understanding of and a willingness to talk about this sensitive subject.

2003 - Public Service Campaign: "The Big Game."
A 30-second television piece to raise awareness of teenage gambling issues. Parents viewing the piece are reminded to talk with teenage children about gambling. This PSA was a collaborative Partnership effort.

1999 - Public Service Campaign: "Everything in Moderation."
A 30-second television piece and a 60-second radio announcement encouraging consumers to keep purchasing habits in perspective. The pieces remind that "Everything in Moderation" is important. These PSA's were a collaborative Partnership effort, and were broadcast until early 2003, as part of the Lottery's advertising rotation.

1999 - "Code of Good Practice" created
The code contains the voluntary advertising and marketing guidelines subscribed to by the CT Lottery. The Lottery regularly reviews its advertising and marketing programs to ensure adherence to these provisions which include: Responsible placement of advertising and marketing, responsible content, social responsibility, good taste and legal mandatories.

Ongoing:
- Inclusion of the CCPG Helpline Toll-Free number 1-800-346-6238 in Lottery marketing materials, including but not limited to: Drawing ticket stock, Scratch tickets, Play Slips, Payout Tables, Game Brochures, web site.
- Helpline stickers are placed on all lottery terminals
- Posters reminding purchasers that 18 years of age is the minimum age at which tickets can be purchased.
- Placement of a responsible play message on all Drawing ticket stock, Scratch tickets, Play Slips, Payout tables, Game Brochures, posters, television advertisements, radio advertisements and web site.
- Via its Speakers' Bureau, Lottery Ambassadors provide educational speeches as a public service to civic and service organizations.
- Provide news releases to the media when jackpots rise to high levels that remind consumers to play responsibly.

Additional Efforts:
The Lottery is also part of the Connecticut Committee for Gambling Awareness, which includes representation from all of the gaming organizations in the state, as well as the Division of Special Revenue, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services, and the Connecticut Council for Problem Gambling. Additionally, the Lottery is an active participant in the CT Women's Problem Gambling Project.


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