The North Carolina Education Lottery is joining state and national efforts to raise awareness about problem gambling.
In an official proclamation, Gov. Roy Cooper urged North Carolinians to join the nation in observing March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
To support this effort, the lottery is launching a communications campaign to promote responsible play and make people aware of the resources available for those affected by problem gambling.
The lottery will share information about problem gambling on all its communication platforms throughout the month. That includes its website, social media channels and multimedia monitors in all 7000 lottery retail locations.
“It’s important for people to know that help is available for anyone affected by problem gambling,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the lottery. “We want people to play responsibly. The lottery is committed to helping people make informed choices about when and how often to play our games.”
The lottery provides $1 million a year to support problem gambling services, in North Carolina, ranging from a 24/7 toll-free helpline to prevention efforts to free treatment and care. To use the helpline, you can:
• Text morethanagamenc to 53342.
• Join a live web chat at www.morethanagamenc.com.
• Call toll-free at (877) 718-5543.
Information about the helpline is printed on the back of every lottery ticket and included in every lottery advertisement.
The lottery also provides information about odds and responsible play on its website, nclottery.com.
The lottery’s commitment to build the best practices in responsible gaming into all of its operations won it the highest level of responsible gaming certification recognized internationally. The accreditation from the World Lottery Association attests that the lottery has implemented responsible gaming practices into its day-to-day operations and is committed to continuous improvement of them.