Illinois Lottery welcomes PGAM, vows support

The Illinois Lottery has become the latest to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month, an annual campaign that is dedicated to increasing public understanding about problem gambling as well as promoting the resources at-risk and vulnerable consumers could turn to to get help.

To spearhead these efforts, the Illinois Lottery has joined forces with the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG), helping further strengthen the two organizations’ commitment to prevention and early intervention in the cases of people experiencing gambling-related harm. The Illinois Lottery’s campaign this year is called Don’t Struggle in Silence: Call 1-800-GAMBLER, encouraging engagement on the part of vulnerable consumers and urging them to get in touch if they begin experiencing the signs of gambling-related problems. While the lottery is considered a low-risk product, the Illinois Lottery has been adamant in its commitment to protecting consumers. Commenting on this initiative, lottery Director Harold Mays had this to add: Together with ICPG and our nearly 7,000 retail partners, we are committed to providing our players the information they need to play responsibly. Lottery games are meant to provide entertainment and a chance to win while generating funding for K-12 public education and special causes across Illinois. Promoting responsible play is essential to fulfilling that mission. The Lottery will share responsible gambling messaging and information throughout March in a bid to reach more people and present them with the resources available for them to address potential harms related to gambling. ICPG Executive Director Dave Wohl has welcomed this initiative, and he further stressed the need to have more resources and sources discussing the issue at a time when gambling options are expanding.

No one has to navigate this challenge alone. Free and confidential support is available around the clock for Illinois residents, Wohl added, urging people to seek help when they feel like needing it. The Illinois Lottery has also strove to drive a message that destigmatizes problem gambling and encourages open conversations, emboldening people who need help to seek it out and get the support crucial to their recovery. The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline operates free of charge and offers immediate support 24/7 a day, making it all the more important to reach the people who actually may need its services. This is not the only initiative undertaken nationwide, with BetMGM and MGM Resorts committing over $1,000,000 to various RG causes both as part of PGAM but also throughout 2026.