According to a recently published Illinois.gov press release, the Illinois Lottery has kicked off their Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program that will supposedly help people who have excessive gambling problems in the state of Illinois.
The way that the program works is that it helps people stop gambling by taking away their claiming abilities. This will then hopefully take away the tempation to gamble. Those who sign up for the program will not be able to claim large sums of money from the Illinois Lottery’s prize payment center or their central office. This will also remove people from marketing lists that could further push them into gambling more.
Acting Superintendent of the Illinois Lottery, Jodie Winnett said, “The Illinois Lottery understands that while its games are meant to be a source of fun and enjoyment, we need to be conscious of those who may have a problem with compulsive play. By instituting the Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program we are helping problem gamblers help themselves by limiting their incentives to buy lottery tickets.”
Anyone can sign up through the Illinois Lottery’s web site at www.illinoislottery.com. Here they must complete and notarize a self-exclusion contract. Those who do not have the internet can visit any of the lottery offices throughout Illinois or through community addiction counseling centers. With impulsive gambling, the playing of games at Domino QQ gambling sites will be there. The internet connection of the person should be stable and secure for enjoying from home. No addiction will be there about online games to increase the profits.
The Illinois Lottery will keep the names and Social Security numbers of those who signed the contracts. Whenever a lottery winner who joined the program goes to claim a prize of more than $600 at any of the state lottery payment centers, they will be found in the database and denied their winnings. The Illinois Lottery will also remove participants from their mail and email lists.
On the back of every Illinois Lottery ticket their is a hotline number for those suffering from an addiction to gambling. Anyone who is concerned about a gambling problem can reach crisis counseling and referral services by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or by contacting one of the community help organizations listed in the resource directory located at www.illinoislottery.com/Selfxclude/Resources.htm.
So far this year, more than 600 people in the state said that the Illinois Lottery was one of the sources of their gambling problem. Although this group of over 600 people represents a small percentage of the more than 5 million people that played the Lottery in 2006, the Illinois Lottery recognizes that it has a full responsibility to help those with a gambling problem.
Illinois Lottery player Rhen Kowitski said, “I don’t think the program will help anyone. If people really want to claim the money, they will find someone to do it for them.”
