Yet alcohol is warning-free?
Booze and beer don't carry similar cautions, but some Republican lawmakers want people playing the state lottery to be warned that the games may be addictive.
With the 2019 legislative session in its final days, the Senate is considering a proposal that would require all lottery tickets to include a warning, which also would be part of any advertisements for the state-sponsored games.
The bill would require the tickets and promotions to include the words: "Warning: Lottery games may be addictive," or "Play responsibly," under an amendment approved Wednesday by the Senate.
Hours earlier, Florida Lottery Secretary Jim Poppell asked Senate Democrats to vote against the measure, which he said "doesn't tell people what they need."
The proposal not only requires a warning label on tickets "but a warning label that would have to be on just about everything that could be construed as promoting the lottery," Poppell said.
"That would be vending machines, play stations where you get your paper to bubble in the numbers, on every sign, on every advertisement — radio, television, social media, what have you," Poppell said.
The House last month overwhelmingly approved a version of the bill with a longer, more-dire message: "Warning: Playing a Lottery game constitutes gambling and may lead to addiction and/or compulsive behavior. The chances of winning a big prize are very low." House Speaker José Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, strongly supports the proposal, and told reporters Wednesday evening he also backs the modified Senate version.
"I thnk it's important that somewhere on the face of that ticket someone at least have a moment of reflection to understand what they're engaging in and hopefully play responsibly," he said.
The Senate never passed its own version of the bill, but the Senate Rules Committee last week took up and approved the House's measure.
During a Senate floor session Wednesday, Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley said he proposed shortening the warning message to assuage concerns from other senators "who think that the language is too much."
But, he insisted, the warning is necessary.
"For some folks, their brain works in a way that they can become addicted to gaming just like you can become addicted to alcohol and drugs," Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said.
More is known about addiction than when the lottery was created more than three decades ago, Bradley said.
"This is a government-run gaming operation. That's what it is," he said, adding the warning gives the state an opportunity to create a "balanced message where we want people to know, we want you to play but this is not gaming light."
The Florida Lottery's annual sales have grown to more than $6 billion since tickets first went on sale in 1988. The money is used to help fund the state's education system, including Bright Futures scholarships.
Democrats shared Poppell's concerns about the warnings' negative impact on sales and on education funding. According to state economists, the warnings in the House bill would cause a $64 million drop in revenues steered to schools in 2021, when the bill would go into effect. That amount is projected to increase in subsequent years.
"We brag about the... billions of dollars that's gone into education. Some would say we're addicted to that money," Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat and a former Leon County superintendent of schools, said during Wednesday's floor discussion.
But Bradley said the shorter warnings proposed by the Senate should mitigate some of the financial shortfall.
The reduction in education funding would be made up with other revenue sources, said Bradley, who acknowledged the warnings could have an impact, "because when you tell people what they're doing, they may make a decision not to do it, which I don't think is a bad thing."
Former Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a similar measure in 2017, saying it would impose "burdensome regulations" on the games and retailers. Poppell's open opposition to the proposal could also reflect opposition from his boss, Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In his remarks to the Senate Democrats, Poppell said the Florida Lottery "has worked very hard" to receive certification by the National Council on Problem Gambling.
"They looked at everything," he said, "and certified that we are acting in a responsible manner."
Lottery tickets already are printed with a hotline number for addicted gamblers to get help, Poppell said.
"This is what we learned is the most important thing we can do," he said.
Lottery retailers are worried about "the volume of negativity," the secretary added.
"It isn't just a warning label on the ticket. It is this message on everything. And it has to be prominently displayed. So our retailers are expressing concern," he said.
The Senate could vote on the measure as early as Thursday. If it is approved, the proposal would have to be sent back to the House. Ultimately, the two chambers would have to agree on the warning details before a bill could go to DeSantis.
While other states are implementing legislation to protect its winner's privacy, FL........
what is so sad they do this like drugs they put it out there and when it gets out of hand than they will be/trying to figure a way to stop it after they have become billionaires
We don't have that particular verbiage on the front of our TN tickets. They all say " PLAY TODAY!" To be fair, it does state on the back, in all purple capitol letters, directly under the signature line, to "play responsibly".
In New York, the lottery has printed on the back of every ticket...... "Please Play Responsibly" and a 24-hour confidential hopeline number for help with problem gambling. They also have a similar message on the back of each play slip.
For most, winning a big lottery prize would be a dream come true. But, at what cost?
In California, we have this printed on the FRONT of EVERY lottery ticket, that includes PB & MM tickets as well.
Advertising the 1 - 800 - # is the first step to help addicted players. Cell phones are almost everywhere.
As long as the funding for the help is not cut.
I think the warnings SHOULD be in lottery tickets.
Just look at the face of this cow!
This cow's a waste of money! I mean who wins this thing?
That cow is cute!
The may be cute on the outside, but inside it's ripping all your wallet (and your soul).
Lottery tickets are addictive. And please, men (and women) in 60s and 70s with very young grandchildren don't show off your lottery habit in front of your grandkids, because they will become addictive players, unless you've won MM or PB and want to stop or take a break. AND GIFT RESPONSIBLY!
Then do not play scratchers. I don't.
Buy some of the Florida Lottery's newest $30 scratch-off ticket and the horrid payouts will end any addiction.
With lottery retailers on every corner, Florida lawmakers are now worried about problem gambling and want more warnings on the tickets so players can see them AFTER they buy the tickets.
.
Yes, please slap the addiction notice on every ticket, if you wish.
But please don't change anything else, unless you want to make better odds for the players or
something along those lines.
My name is Groppo and I'm a gambler . . . ..
(welcome groppo, keep coming back . . . . .is there any more coffee back there?) . . . . . )
Cash winfall? They played responsibly. Lol
l get this funny feeling that this proposed legislation is aimed at Seniors. Read an article about the prevalence of gambling involving Seniors & it's become a major problem in FL. Step into any casino, you bound to find seniors with canes, wheelchairs sitting for hours in one spot, take a gander at the lottery lines when the jackpot is high, peppered amongst those folk- Seniors. Funny how this proposed legislation was not out there when Gloria showed up & gave hope to the elderly" Keep playing brothers & sisters, if l can do it, so can you."
That made me laugh.
I used to think the $20 scratch offs were extreme, then they came out with the $30 scratch offs. I await with morbid curiosity the inevitable $50 scratch offs. I don't think there's any warning label verbiage that can help the poor souls who will buy those.
Warning.
Anything that causes a Dopamine release in your brain is addictive.
You got that right!
They have lots of advertisements about the NC lottery on TV but don't see too much saying you will get addicted!
Just say real quick to play responsibly...more put trying to get you to play than to warn about addiction!
BUT the thing is everybody should know by now how addictive it is....I sure do!
I talk to a lot of people who play p3 and buy scratchers & sometimes we talk about how
addictive it is and you'd be surprised at what I have heard...makes me want to be more careful!
Is this really an issue? I mean folks don't heed the warning on smokes or drinks, why care what it printed on a lottery ticket?
On a different lottery subject, the Kentucky Lottery will be @ the store where they make the garland of roses for the KY Derby. Unfortunately they're predicting 3" of rain. Back to the lottery, Chip Polston was there yesterday, hope he's there @ 1230 when I make my grand entrance...LOL.
It kind of is actually. I’ve seen people just spend every dollar they had on scratch off tickets. In the old days of Pennsylvania they viewed it as a tax on the poor. Many still view it that way. Frank Rosenthal said once about gambling that it’s the only thing in which you spend money on that you get nothing in return. Absolutely nothing. He also said sure anyone can get lucky, but how long does luck last? Not very long. Maybe just happens once. So yeah the fact that billions are spent every year, I think it not only makes sense given the aggressive marketing strategies involved in attracting more players, but necessary to provide help to those that have lost and succumbed to the fact that it can be very addictive with lots of false hopes and dreams and promises.
I agree with noise-gate that this was thought up with seniors in mind, considering Florida's population.
Sully16,
Good one.
Everyone,
Calm down folks, this is an obvious CYA statement planned to put on the tickets so now 'gone gambler' or 'gone lottery player' can say, "Florida should have warned me tht these lottery tickets can be addicting........I never would have spent as much as I did if only the state or the Florida lottery would have warned me."
In any from of gambling losers have to have something to blame it on.
"I think it not only makes sense given the aggressive marketing strategies involved in attracting more players, but"
Basically they're saying "while we really want you bet your last dollar, don't blame us when you do".
And it's not just addictions, but obsession too. IMO obsession might be worse considering all the posts devoted to "getting ducks in a row", "getting together a team of lawyers and accountants", and "claiming anonymously". Hopefully their obsessions won't turn into depression after years of failure.
It's true it only takes one ticket, but that's one ticket out of 300 million.
Yes Stack! A more encompassing phrasing might read: Regular purchasing leads to angst over decades!
"given the aggressive marketing strategies"
That's the important factor. If a private company advertised the way the lottery does the government would be all over their ass for violating the law. Especially with the steep odds, lottery slogans like "all it takes is a dollar and a dream" are far less honest than not including disclaimers when telling people they can buy a car with "Just $99 down!" or "Only $199 per month." At least with the whole car instead of either 60% of the car or a couple of pieces every year for 30 years.
Check out Maureen O Connor CT- widow of the founder of Jack in the box. Bet more than $1Billion, yeah that's a B,on casino's etc. Then raided a charity her late husband set up. Blamed it on " Grief gambling ."
How about a message that would show up after all the scratching was done on the loser tickets that said "see? we tried to warn you that playing would cost you"
... and on winning tickets one that says "see? you were right in not paying attention to our warnings!"
I won $1087 the first time I bought pick-3 tickets, won straight again and got a few pick-4 straight wins. Lots of players win the top prize in those games everyday, but the thing is, my best PB or MM win was $500 on PB with Powerplay a few matrix changes ago. And that's not even in the same ball park as winning the third prize.
Won't knock the every drawing players or any other type of players, just hope they're not depending on a jackpot win for retirement. I seriously doubt warnings on tickets won't stop anyone
noise-gate
Interesting story.
There was an addiction counselor in Las Vegas, the late Dr. Custer who called video poler 'electronic morphine' as people got hooked on it.
As soon as I saw the title of the article on her https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2282866/Former-San-Diego-mayor-Maureen-OConnor-speaks-gambling-addiction.html I figured it was video poker.
Sad really.
CT: "... this is an obvious CYA statement..."
Yup. It's the result of this litigious society or the nanny state we're becoming...or a combination of both with some stupidity mixed in.
It's like the warning on OTC suppositories "Do Not Take Orally" or a one on a pkg. of peanuts that warns they are not to be consumed by people with peanut allergies.
I will admit that I once confused a tube of Poli-Grip w/ what I thought was KY Jelly. In my defense I will have to say it was dark and not my bedroom.
'not my bedroom'
I'm betting some guy complained to his state legislator after his elderly mother almost fell and broke her hip rushing in front of someone to buy some MM tickets. Bet he wants them to change the rules making it mandatory that jackpot winners over 80 give full control of their winning to their son.
Something drastic has or had to happen to make politicians spring into action. Perhaps more seniors are filing for assistance. Out here, we had to have the earthquake of 89 happen before politicians decided that it was “ a good thing” to have our bridges retrofitted to withstand earthquakes, that filtered down to new home constructions having all kinds of extra straps & bolts added, can’t have our bridges and homes falling down on us now,can we, at least not after what happened. Then we have Gloria’s attorney going to battle with her son because “ investments didn’t happen” as planned. What a wonderful world.
This story will have all the gambling addicts turning over their couch and chairs. Oh my!
Lol