Release Date: April 5, 2018
 Release #: 025g-ctlottery-040518
 Contact:  Linda Tarnowski (860) 713-2701
 Contact:  Derek Wong (860) 713-2702
 Fax:  (860) 713-2695
 Web:  ctlottery.org
 
 CT Lottery Interim President and CEO Awarded Responsible Gambling Award by Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling
 Chelsea Turner Accepts Responsible Gambling Industry Award 
 
 ROCKY HILL, CT/April 5, 2018 – Chelsea Turner, Interim President and CEO of the CT Lottery, was awarded the Responsible Gambling Award by the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling.  The award was presented on March 20, 2018 at the 2018 Conference on Gambling Problems in Massachusetts.  
 
 The annual award is presented to an individual or organization that demonstrates an exemplary effort in implementing or promoting a responsible gambling program within the industry.  The award recognizes industry operators that have gone the extra mile to provide information on problem gambling for both their customers and employees. The recipient not only meets, but goes above and beyond the criteria by requiring that all facility employees participate in the responsible gambling program and understands their role in providing assistance to persons in need. 
 
 “Chelsea is not only a colleague, but a true leader as an Industry Operator, continuously setting high standards for her exceptional work in the responsible and problem gambling world,” said Marlene Warner, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling.  “She has tirelessly advocated to introduce new and innovative programs, like GameSense, and to train and educate lottery staff about problem and responsible gambling.”  
 
 “I am very proud to accept this award and want to thank all our CT Lottery staff, especially the Corporate Responsibility team,” Turner said.  “This award exemplifies our commitment to reaching the highest industry standards of responsible gambling and corporate social responsibility.”  
 
 The CT Lottery recently supported the Problem Gambling Awareness Month by partnering with the National Council on Problem Gambling.  Every day this past March, CT Lottery displayed responsible gambling messages through various mediums, distributed resources and strategies to players and facilitated training to retailers and staff.  
 
 Since 1996, the Lottery has provided $33,823,000 to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Chronic Gamblers Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund.  In fiscal year 2018, the CT Lottery contributed $2.3 million to the fund.  The Lottery also contributes resources above and beyond this statutory requirement.  
 
 About CT Lottery Corporation:
 Lottery sales benefit Connecticut's residents in valuable ways.  In fiscal year 2017, players won more than $756.3 million in prize money and retailers earned $68 million in commissions.  At the same time, the CT Lottery provided $330 million to support the valuable services and programs funded by the state’s General Fund including public health, libraries, public safety, education and more.  Since the Lottery began in 1972, our contributions to the General Fund have exceeded $9.4 billion.
 
 The CT Lottery reminds the public that purchasers must be 18 or older.  If you gamble, use your GameSense.  For information about the CT Lottery, stop by any CT Lottery retailer, visit CTLOTTERY.ORG, join us on Facebook (facebook.com/CTLottery), Instagram (Instagram.com/ctlottery), Twitter (twitter.com/ctlottery), or call (860) 713-2700.  
 
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