The Oregon Lottery must ensure and communicate progress in implementing the Responsible Gaming Code of Practice. We report on annual measures and key accomplishments each year using a combination of internal monitoring and independent assessments. The Data Impacts Report is designed to report on annual measurements that look at year-over-year trends when possible, while our key accomplishments document non-repeatable activities.

Our Goals and Code of Practice

The Oregon Lottery will devote energy, funding, and resources where they will have the most positive impact on the promotion of responsible gaming practices (RG) and awareness of problem gambling (PG) resources. Our efforts are devoted to:

• Providing information and tools to help players make informed choices and enjoy Lottery games as entertainment.
• Creating awareness of resources and treatment for those impacted by problem gambling. We aim to ensure that people affected by gambling know how to access help, and that they understand treatment is free, confidential, and that it works.

Code of Practice

The Responsible Gaming Code of Practice commits the Lottery to implement programs focused on research, as well as employee, stakeholder, and retailer engagement.  It also addresses player education, retail & online gaming, treatment & referral resources, and advertising & promotion.

In 2022, the Oregon Lottery made some key changes to the code to include our online gaming sales channel (sports betting) and outline our ongoing commitment to providing responsible gaming tools for customers as an integrated part of any online game or platform with known play.

Connecting People with Problem Gambling Resources and Treatment

Part of the Oregon Lottery’s mission is to ensure that players and concerned others affected by gambling understand that there are a variety of ways to access resources and treatment options available. We emphasize that treatment is free for any Oregonian affected by gambling; that it’s professional, confidential and, perhaps most importantly, that it works.

The Lottery promotes problem gambling resources in a variety of locations. Some of these are included on:

• All gaming equipment
• Lottery and partner websites
• Oregon Lottery apps

We also use advertising and promotional outreach. Channels include social media, digital ads, broadcast, limited print, out-of-home, point-of-sale merchandising, and public relations.

The Oregon Lottery conducts an annual study to help measure the results of our efforts over time. This year’s study indicates that Oregonians’ knowledge of problem gambling program features has remained stable. Additionally, Oregonians’ interest in accessing responsible gaming tools and information to make healthy gambling decisions is up from the previous year.

Digging Deeper

Additionally important metrics from our research included awareness of several other treatment features. These help us to determine if Oregonians, both Lottery and non-Lottery players, know that treatment is confidential and is provided by professionals. We also measure if people are aware that services are available, not just for individuals directly affected by gambling, but for their family and concerned others and that treatment is free.

The demand for services remained strong in 2022. Our efforts to connect people with resources and treatment continue to leverage the increased consumption of digital media brought about by the pandemic (which may continue even post-Covid). We recognize that customers value options for connecting with help; therefore, we promote the phone number, chat, and text options on the Oregon Problem Gambling Resource website (opgr.org).

In an effort to reach people in all stages of their gambling issues, we started capturing new helpline data on non-treatment outreach. While the numbers are currently small, the data is promising, and we will continue to ensure we offer these options for people who call the helpline.

Key Accomplishments

The Lottery utilizes research to refine our efforts to promote education, awareness, and understanding of healthy gambling choices and to provide tools that encourage healthy behaviors. In addition to our annual Brand Promise study, we typically conduct new research each year to address emerging issues and trends.

Research center

In 2022, the Oregon Lottery became a founding sponsor of the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling (OCPG) Research Center. The OCPG Research Center is a program to encourage and promote research and learning to inform lasting solutions to gambling and problem gambling related services and issues in Oregon and the nation. The research center is governed by OCPG’s Board of Directors and led by the Research Director. The initial research priorities have been identified and will be funded through original research and re-evaluation of existing data sets:

• Best practices for effective player protection strategies as well as the marketing of treatment options
• Gaining a better understanding of youth gambling, sports betting, and strategies for reaching underserved communities including veterans, developmentally disabled, and LGBTQ populations
• Implications for policy changes and expansions in Oregon
• Innovative projects in other areas

While it is far too early to report on outcomes, the Lottery will work collaboratively to ensure that the Center will contribute to the shared goals of continuous improvement in service delivery and informing public policy in relationship to gambling, problem gambling, and problem gambling services.

self-care training

The Responsible Gaming (RG) Self-Care module was a first-of-its-kind virtual training designed specifically for employees in player-facing roles. The pandemic increased the need for this role-specific training that focuses on self-care for retailer- and customer-facing staff. It provides skills and strategies to help practice self-care in their player facing roles while promoting responsible gaming with retailers and customers.

Self-care training summary:

• Audience: Player and retail facing staff
• 30-minute training sessions conducted over 2 months
• 180+ staff completed one of the 10 training sessions offered

Advertising & Marketing

In 2022, as in previous years, individuals continued to take advantage of remote, rather than in-person, options for treatment, and have slowly started to engage in in-person treatment as environments have opened up. We have continued to emphasize the availability of alternative, digitally based services when referencing the availability of treatment in Oregon.

We also continue to monitor the need for QR codes on printed materials moving forward as an accessible, no-contact way to access information as needed. Some examples of in-venue messaging include:

The Lottery continued to promote alternative resources for treatment. We addressed the potentially growing risk of online gambling as players shifted to online entertainment during pandemic related closures of in-person venues. We’ve also incorporated marketing messages to be inclusive of light-touch efforts and offerings to talk without seeking treatment for players, friends, and concerned others.

The Lottery frequently refreshed and optimized treatment referral ads based on performance.

MARKETING ANALYTICS

Treatment & Referral

Our digital outreach remained strong in 2022. We refined our messaging and offered a variety of “calls to action,” in effect reminding players of their many options when seeking services and referrals. The pie chart reflects below the options site visitors chose after visiting the OPGR website. “Find a Meeting” and “Call the Helpline” were the top conversions among campaign related sessions.

2022 Media Conversions

DraftKings’ RG features and tools include:

• Self-assessment
• Voluntary limit setting (pre-commitment)
• Proactive RG messaging within the first week of signing up for an account
• Easy access to account history, including cumulative spend
• Time out and self-exclusion options

Training

required retailer Training

In 2022, the Oregon Lottery continued our strategy of providing all-inclusive, digital Responsible Gaming Training for retailers. This new approach recognizes that the foundational principles of responsible gaming apply to all retailers – from bars and restaurants selling Video Lottery to grocery and convenience stores selling Scratch-its and draw games.

In addition to the required training, an additional series of voluntary, quick, on-demand, scenario-based modules have been made available and have been well-received by retail staff. These modules help educate retailers on addressing responsible gaming issues specific to their business model.

Check out several on-demand modules below.

Industry Involvement

The Oregon Lottery is an associate member of the World Lottery Association (WLA) and currently holds the highest level of certification at level 4. WLA’s values are based on a commitment to the highest standards of corporate responsibility and are based on WLA Responsible Gaming Principles and Framework.

The Oregon Lottery is currently a Gold Member of the National Council on Problem Gambling and actively holds positions on the board of directors and various committees. Membership provides a variety of experiences across multiple industries to strengthen NCPG’s leadership as the organization continues to grow and evolve.

The Oregon Council on Problem Gambling (OCPG) is the state affiliate to the National Council on Problem Gambling. The OCPG’s purpose is to promote the health of Oregonians by supporting efforts to minimize gambling related harm. The Oregon Lottery holds a position on the board of directors along with other interested parties and stakeholders from the gaming industry, treatment and prevention field, the recovery community and state and county administrators.

The Oregon Lottery is an Associate Member of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). Currently, Oregon holds “Sustaining” level certification through NASPL and NCPG which is the highest level available.  In addition, the Oregon Lottery director serves as the chair of the NASPL Responsible Gambling sub-committee.  NASPL’s mission is to assemble and disseminate information and benefits of state and provincial lottery organizations through education and communications and, where appropriate, publicly advocate the positions of NASPL on matters of general policy.

The Oregon Lottery actively holds a board member seat on the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). RGC exists to ensure that gambling safeguards are in place, to promote the wellbeing of people and communities They have been a leader in the prevention of problem gambling in Canada and globally for 40+ years.