The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL), in collaboration with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), recognizes March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). This initiative aims to foster greater awareness and empathy for problem gambling while providing information on prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Problem gambling refers to gambling behavior that is damaging to a person or their loved ones, often disrupting their daily life or careers. It is a serious but frequently misunderstood mental health condition that affects approximately 2.5 million U.S. adults.

“The mission of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery is to maximize net proceeds in a responsible manner,” said ASL Executive Director Sharon Strong. “We encourage responsible play year-round and partner with NCPG to recognize March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month.

“The ASL reminds players to know their limits, only play lottery games for entertainment, and seek support if they struggle with problem gambling.”

For most adults, playing lottery games can be a fun and entertaining experience; however, anyone can be at risk of developing a gambling problem.

NCPG identifies six signs of problem gambling:

• Thinking about gambling all the time
• Feeling the need to bet more money and more often
• Trying to win money back, or “chasing losses”
• Gambling despite negative consequences
• Feeling out of control when gambling
• Feeling irritable or restless when trying to cut down or stop gambling

Recognizing these signs is crucial for preventing problem gambling and fostering recovery.

ASL has received Responsible Gambling Certification from the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and the NCPG. The certification involves a multi-step verification program to ensure the lottery provides best practices in training for lottery employees and retailers and treatment options for players who may have a gambling problem.

ASL encourages Arkansans to play lottery games responsibly year-round. More resources on responsible play and problem gambling are available at MyArkansasLottery.com/PlayersHub.

For more information about problem gambling, visit ncpgambling.org/FAQs. If you or someone you know struggles with problem gambling, call or text the 24-hour confidential National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

About the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) creates winning people, winning futures, and winning moments. Since 2009, the ASL has sold over $7.8 billion and returned more than $1.4 billion for scholarships to benefit Arkansas students. More than 770,000 college scholarships distributed by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education have been awarded to Arkansans. The lottery has awarded more than $5 billion in prizes to players, more than $440 million in retailer commissions, and provided more than $182 million in state and federal tax revenue.

Follow the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Visit MyArkansasLottery.com for more information on scholarships, winners, games, odds, promotions – and to join The Club for free. To get help with problem gambling, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.