The Pennsylvania Lottery, in collaboration with national and state responsible gambling organizations, is recognizing March as National Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM).
PGAM gives the Lottery the opportunity to join with other partners across the Commonwealth and the country to help raise public awareness of problem gambling, while also highlighting available prevention, treatment, and recovery resources.
Pennsylvania offers a variety of resources to support individuals impacted by gambling-related harms, including the Pennsylvania Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), funded by the PA Lottery. Players can also connect with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, Inc. (CCGP) by phone, text, or chat for information on warning signs, counseling services, and self-help meetings. The CCGP’s 10 Rules of Responsible Gambling provide helpful tips for ensuring responsible gambling practices.
“PGAM is the time to have the conversation about the risks of gambling, but it’s also an opportunity to encourage players to learn how to practice healthy, informed lottery play,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “This means playing within your financial means and only for entertainment, as well as ensuring players are of legal age. If you or someone you know is experiencing a gambling-related harm, resources are available to help, such as 1-800-GAMBLER.”
For online players, the Lottery offers several tools to promote responsible play. Players can set limits, take cool-off periods, or self-exclude for six months, one year, or five years. Additionally, players can complete a short survey to assess whether they need to modify their gambling behavior.
By law, players must be 18 or older to play the PA Lottery, and online players must be located within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to play games online and win prizes. To ensure no one under 18 is playing the Lottery, the PA Lottery performs electronic verification to verify the identity and age of a player before allowing an individual to set up an online account.
Healthy Play® means:
Last week, the Pennsylvania Lottery joined the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, Inc. for an event to observe National Problem Gambling Awareness Month and highlight resources that are available. The event focused on raising awareness of available resources, and the national campaign’s goals of improving access to treatment services and encouraging healthcare providers to screen for problem gambling.
The national campaign, now in its 22nd year, is being recognized on social media using the hashtag #PGAM2025.
The Pennsylvania Lottery holds multiple certifications for its responsible gambling work, including from the World Lottery Association and the National Council on Problem Gambling. The Lottery’s “Please Play Responsibly” message is visible in all aspects of its consumer marketing and advertising; it also appears on items such as game tickets, live televised drawings, media materials, social media, and the Lottery’s website.
For more information about available resources, visit the Lottery’s website at Please Play the PA Lottery Responsibly.
