RALEIGH – The North Carolina Education Lottery is joining state and national efforts to raise awareness about problem gambling and the free counseling and treatment services available to anyone in North Carolina.

In an official proclamation, Gov. Roy Cooper urged North Carolinians to join the nation in the observance of March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. “Problem gambling is treatable,” said the proclamation.

Free treatment for North Carolinians is made possible by an annual $1 million contribution from the lottery. That support funds the N.C. Problem Gambling Program.

To support the signed proclamation, the lottery will share information on all its communication platforms throughout the month. That includes a TV advertising campaign and information on its website, social media channels and multimedia monitors in all 7,000 lottery retail locations.

“We want people to play smart when they play the lottery,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the lottery. “That’s the whole goal around our new Play Smart™ program. It encourages behaviors that can reduce the risk of players’ developing a problem and raises awareness of how someone with a gambling problem can get help.”

Michalko said effective responsible gaming programs, like the Education Lottery’s Play Smart program, “focus not only on prevention and treatment, but also awareness. That’s what Problem Gambling Awareness month helps accomplish.”

“Free resources and treatment at no-cost are available to anyone who is concerned about their own gambling or that of a loved one,” said Amanda Winters, program director for the N.C. problem gambling program. “Problem Gambling Awareness Month is an important time for us to partner with the lottery and reach new audiences to raise awareness about problem gambling and resources in our state.”

Free resources are only a text or click away. To learn more:

• Text morethanagamenc to 53342.
• Chat online at www.morethanagamenc.com.
• Call toll-free at (877) 718-5543.

Looking out after the interest of players goes hand-in-hand with the lottery’s mission to raise money for education. For details on how lottery funds made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website. Play Smart™ term is a service mark of the Illinois Lottery licensed to the NCEL.