Published: September 12, 2020

The Texas Lottery’s responsible gambling initiatives have been granted accreditation by the World Lottery Association (WLA)

“We are honored to have our responsible gambling efforts recognized on an international level,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “The Texas Lottery just finished another strong sales year in fiscal year 2020 while remaining committed to the World Lottery Association’s standards for responsible gambling. We look forward to enhancing our responsible gambling efforts, as we continue to remind our players to Play Responsibly. It only takes one ticket to win.”

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TEXAS LOTTERY AWARDED WORLD LOTTERY ASSOCIATION’S LEVEL 3 RESPONSIBLE GAMING RECERTIFICATION

(AUSTIN) – The Texas Lottery’s responsible gambling initiatives have been granted accreditation by the World Lottery Association (WLA) in accordance with the recommendation of the Independent Assessment Panel (IAP) comprised of international experts in the field of corporate responsibility.

After initially achieving Level 3 responsible gambling certification from WLA in 2016, the Texas Lottery has now been recertified at the same level through 2023.

“We are honored to have our responsible gambling efforts recognized on an international level,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “The Texas Lottery just finished another strong sales year in fiscal year 2020 while remaining committed to the World Lottery Association’s standards for responsible gambling. We look forward to enhancing our responsible gambling efforts, as we continue to remind our players to Play Responsibly. It only takes one ticket to win.”

To achieve Level 3 certification, the Texas Lottery documented and demonstrated a strong commitment and expertise in promoting its responsible gambling program. The IAP commended the Texas Lottery for its ability to improve its program despite cuts in budget and resources. The Texas Lottery was also applauded for a strong, integrated retailer program, Game Design Sensitivity Guidelines, and for its Advertising Sensitivity Guidelines that are reinforced by an Advertising Review Team.

The Texas Lottery provides awareness training for retailers, vendors and employees and makes resource information available through the dedicated PLAY RESPONSIBLY page on its website and brochures displayed at more than 20,000 licensed lottery retail locations across Texas. Responsible gambling messages are also featured in employee and retailer communications and on the Texas Lottery’s official social media accounts.

The Texas Lottery is a member of WLA, North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) and a Silver member of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Additionally, it participates in the NCPG-McGill University holiday campaign to prevent underage gambling and in the National Problem Gambling Awareness Month campaign conducted annually in March.

 The WLA is an international trade organization that represents 147 lotteries from 82 countries on all five continents. Member organizations must be licensed or authorized to conduct lotteries by the jurisdiction in which they reside.

The Texas Lottery joined WLA in 2014, attaining Level 1 certification that year and Level 2 certification in 2015 before reaching Level 3 certification a year later.

About the Texas Lottery Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $31 billion in revenue for the state and distributed $65 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed $25.5 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $140 million for programs supporting Texas veterans. The Texas Lottery provides several entertaining games for lottery players including Powerball® , Mega Millions® , Lotto Texas® , All or Nothing™, Texas Two Step® , Pick 3 ™, Daily 4 ™, Cash Five® and scratch ticket games. For more information visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or at www.txlottery.org. PLAY RESPONSIBLY. ###