RESPONSIBLE GAMING

A Commitment to Responsible Gaming

As a member of the global lottery industry, the Lottery has a long history of being a strong supporter and promoter of responsible gaming. We are committed to the highest standards of responsible gaming to prevent problem gambling, which can adversely affect individuals and their families.

The Lottery dedicates significant resources and staff time to:

  • Better understand and support responsible gaming

  • Bring awareness to the serious issue of problem gambling

  • Encourage players to play responsibly and within their budgets

  • Refer those affected by problem gambling to free and confidential treatment by the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Problem Gambling.

Responsible gaming messages can be found through the Lottery’s communication channels and through the sale of our products. As a testament to our commitment, the California State Lottery was the first lottery in the United States to receive the highest certification for responsible gaming programs from the World Lottery Association.

The Lottery pioneered the first problem gambling hotline in California, and we continue to support the California Office of Problem Gambling and partially fund California’s Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER).

Code of Conduct on Responsible Gaming

The Lottery pledges that we, and our employees will continue to incorporate responsible gaming principles into daily operations and products to increase consumer awareness of problem gambling and allowable resources for promotion of the California Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER.

Responsible Play Practices Into Operations

  • The Lottery will put in place messages and warnings to players to help reduce and prevent problem gambling.

  • The Lottery will make problem gambling information and resources available on its websites and social media for problem gamblers and affected individuals.

  • All Lottery products and playslips will promote the toll-free Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER) and play responsibly messages.

Employee Training

  • The Lottery will provide ongoing training to all Lottery employees to increase awareness of problem gambling and available treatment resources.

  • The Lottery will increase employees' understanding and their role in furthering of the Lottery's responsible gaming efforts, programs, and related processes. 

Lottery Retailers

  • The Lottery will increase responsible gaming awareness through retailer training.

  • The Lottery will provide retailers with its responsible gaming messaging, provide appropriate signage at point-of-sale, and keep them apprised of their role in this effort as appropriate.

  • The Lottery will provide and replenish its retailer network with Responsible Gambling Guidelines brochures and related publications.

Preventing Illegal Play

  • The California Lottery’s Security and Law Enforcement Division (SLED) will conduct operations to ensure that Lottery products are only sold to individuals 18 years or older.

  • The Lottery’s social media websites and microsite promotions are age-gated to require users to verify that they are at least 18 years old.

Protecting and Educating Our Consumers

  • The Lottery will make game information, including overall estimated odds and prize information, as appropriate, publicly available for all Lottery products.

  • The Lottery will limit submissions for all 2nd Chance games, to deter problem gambling, help set a level playing field for consumers, and uphold the integrity of all Lottery games and draws.

Game Development

  • The Lottery will incorporate an internal control process that includes responsible gaming consideration in its review of new game designs.

Advertising Responsibly

  • The Lottery will adhere to a strict policy of conducting its advertising in the most professional and socially responsible manner to ensure minors (under 18 years old) are not targeted with sales messages.

  • The Lottery will abide by the California Lottery's Advertising and Marketing Communications Code of Ethics and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) advertising standards.

  • The Lottery will include “Play Responsibly” and “Must be 18 years or older to purchase, play or claim a prize” messages on product advertising as appropriate.

Stakeholder Engagement

  • The Lottery will maintain good relations with the California Office of Problem Gambling (OPG) and other responsible gaming stakeholders to raise awareness of problem gambling and will promote the Problem Gambling Helpline.

 

Identify Problem Gambling and Get Help