The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) has received Implementation Level standard accreditation for its responsible gambling program from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

An NCPG representative said tangible results and efforts in the specific areas of assessment are a hallmark for this level. NCPG and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) initiated the Responsible Gambling national program in 2016. The certification involves a multi-step verification agenda to ensure the lottery provides best practices in training for lottery employees and retailers plus treatment options for players who may have a gambling problem. In 2019 ASL received Responsible Gambling Certification for the first step in the program, which was planning.

“I’m extremely proud of the lottery staff for its work in gaining the Implementation Level,” said Eric Hagler, ASL executive director. “Responsible gambling is a subject that we take very seriously and are committed to making sure our players are educated on the signs of addiction and how to get help. The timing of this certification couldn’t have better since March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month.”

ASL was assessed on its demonstrated competence in the following areas of implementation:

• Overall planning
• Employee training
• Retailer training
• Public education and awareness
• Product oversight
• Research
• Advertising
• Resources

The program has three levels of verification:

1. Planning Level is for lotteries that have not yet developed a responsible gambling program.
2. Implementation Level assesses current programs and results for lotteries with a more advanced responsible gambling program.
3. Sustaining Level will review Implementation verification every three years to ensure ongoing performance.

“Outside assessors reviewed our current and planned responsible gambling operations to determine if we met the criteria for the Implementation Level,” Hagler said. “They provided detailed responses on how the program meets specific criteria and how these existing plans can be stronger, which we will utilize to get to the Sustaining Level.”

Problem gambling is a preventable and treatable disorder. Help is available. For problem gambling resources, visit the ASL Player’s Hub at https://playershub.myarkansaslotery.com/ or call or text the 24-hour confidential National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

About the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery

More than 92 cents of every dollar of ASL revenue goes to prizes, scholarships, retailer commissions and other expenses in Arkansas. Since 2009, the lottery has raised more than $1.1 billion in proceeds for scholarships. More than 650,000 college scholarships have been awarded to Arkansans. The lottery has awarded more than $4 billion in prizes to players, about $338 million in retailer commissions and provided more than $152 million in state and federal tax revenue.

Follow the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit MyArkansasLottery.com for more information on scholarships, winners, games, odds, promotions – and to join The Club for free. To hear winning numbers, call the Winning Numbers Hotline at 501-682-IWON (4966). To get help with problem gambling, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.