OREGON, Ohio — While adults may love to receive a scratch-off card in their stocking, gifting one to anyone under the legal gambling age can pose serious risks.
The Zepf Center's Manger of Gambling Treatment, Megan Poliquin, said stocking stuffers for those under the legal gambling age should not be scratch off lottery tickets. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) data found many young people report their first gambling experience occurs around 9-11 years old, and adolescents have more than twice the risk of developing a serious problem with gambling as the general adult population.
Poliquin said the worst thing which can happen to a child when getting a lottery ticket, they win.
"Imagine being a five-year-old, a 13-year-old, a 17-year-old, getting a $2 or a $5 scratch-ticket. You win $100, $200, even $20 dollars. Whose money is that?" Poliquin said.
According to NCPG data, adolescents exposed to gambling are four times more likely to develop a gambling problem later on. However, when it comes to gifting these tickets for those who can legally gamble it's fine. Poliquin said it could be something simple and fun, like going to the movies.
Yet for a young child, it can confuse them into thinking, if I need money, just buy lottery tickets. Not all children will come to this conclusion, but it can open the door for some to have a confusing mindset with gambling.
"It's not that we can't do that for adults. But when we're giving them to children and they're winning or they're losing. Really regardless, we're influencing their developing minds to think this is a way to make money," Poliquin said.
She said it's best to just give the kids a toy or candy as a stocking stuffer. Better yet, gift an experience and just spend time with kids, she says. You can even money altogether and gift quality time, like a game night or a home arts and craft project.
It's about gifting responsibly.