MO Lottery Blog

Please Play Responsibly

August in Missouri means hot weather and reminders to always play within your means.  That's because August is Responsible Gaming Education Month.  The Missouri Lottery is proud to be a charter member of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling, a partnership of businesses, regulatory agencies and treatment providers with a common goal - to help the small percentage of citizens who struggle with a gambling problem. 

The Missouri Lottery works to help publicize the free help available to problem gamblers and their families. 

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-888-Bets Off to speak with a counselor, or visit the 888-Bets Off website to learn more. 

Problem Gambling

This week is National Problem Gambling Awareness Week.  The Missouri Lottery is a charter member of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling.  Together with our partners, it is our goal to recognize that a percentage of citizens have a problem with gambling and work to limit the negative impact.  In addition to funding free help for Missourians who struggle with gambling addiction, the Alliance also strives to raise awareness of the resources available, the goal of this week's designation. 

If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, call toll-free, 1-888-Bets Off, or visit the Web site.   

Play Responsibly

This week, the Missouri Lottery is once again participating in the Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling at Substance Abuse.  For more information about this event, visit the conference page here.  With the Powerball jackpot approaching $200 million, it's a good time to remind you to play within your means.  Buying multiple tickets does not significantly impact your odds of winning.  If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, free help is available at 888-Bets Off. 

Responsible Gambling Month

August is Responsible Gaming Education Month.  In Missouri, we'll be raising awareness with a dedicated week, one that includes the annual Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse.  The conference, which focuses on providing training for treatment professionals, will take place in St. Louis from Aug. 12 - 14.  For more information, visit the conference page.  Once again, this year's conference will kick off with a keynote address from one of the most important people in the industry, Dr. H. Westley Clark of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  The Missouri Lottery is not only proud of our involvement with this event, we're excited that such a great learning opportunity is available for professionals in the region. 
Please remember to play within your means, and if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, free help is available.  Call 1-888-Bets Off or visit the Bets Off Web site for more information. 

888-Bets off

This is Responsible Gaming Education week in Missouri.  We want to take this time to remind you that if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, free help is available at 888-Bets Off, or www.888betsoff.org.  We hope you enjoy playing the Lottery, but we also hope that you always play within your means and only for fun. 

The 2008 Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse is taking place this week in St. Louis.  This conference has become one of the premier opportunities for continuing education for counselors and treatment professionals.  Highlights include sessions and keynotes from some of the nation's leading professionals, including Dr. Westley Clark, the director of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

The Missouri Lottery is proud to be a member of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling and of our contribution to the Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse.  We would like to welcome all participants in this year's conference.  You can find more information about this event here. 

Gambling Problem?

March 9 - 15 is Problem Gambling Awareness Week.  The Missouri Lottery, as a member of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling, is working to promote the issue of Problem Gambling in Missouri.  Radio advertising will remind Missouri residents about the free resources available to people who experience a problem with gambling.  Additionally, the week is designed to raise awareness about the issue and educate family members on how to recognize the warning signs. 

If you or someone you know is having problems with gambling, help is just a phone call away.  Call 1-888-BETS OFF to speak with a professional counselor. 

Please play responsibly

August is Responsible Gambling Education Awareness Month in Missouri, which is highly appropriate given the latest Powerball jackpot run.  The Missouri Lottery is a member of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling and works with other organizations to raise awareness, educate and assist citizens who experience problems with gambling.  Some tips to remember when participating in gambling activities include:

• Remember that gambling is a form of entertainment only.
• Never borrow money to gamble, such as using a credit card.
• Gamble with money set aside for entertainment, never with money for everyday expenses. 
• Don't gamble when highly stressed, depressed or troubled in any way.

The majority of citizens do gamble responsibly, but for the small number of people who experience problems, free help is available at 1-888-BETS-OFF.  For more information, visit the Bets Off Web site. 

Bets Off

Do you or someone you know have a problem with gambling?  The Missouri Lottery has been a part of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling since it’s inception in 1997.  The Alliance is recognized around the nation as a model of addressing problem gambling in a comprehensive manner. Missouri has a helpline that connects problem gamblers or their families to mental health and financial counselors; 1-888-BETS-OFF.

Alliance members include the Missouri Lottery, the Missouri Gaming Commission, the Missouri Gaming Association, the Kansas City Port Authority, the Missouri Council on Problem Gambling Concerns, Inc., and the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.  Together, all of these agencies with a stake in gambling and the health of citizens with issues related to gambling, join hands to make sure that problem gamblers receive help and treatment.  The unified approach to services ensures help is easily available and accessible, whether the call originates after a visit to a casino, bingo hall or the neighborhood Lottery retailer.

From June 8 – 10, Missouri hosted the National Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse.  Health professionals and treatment providers converged on Kansas City for three days of training and seminars, and KC barbeque. You can learn more about the conference here, and if you have a gambling problem, remember there’s one number that’s always on your side; 1-888-BETS-OFF.