No Kids In Lottery Commercials, House Says

Rep. Harold Wright: Kids
have no business being
associated with gambling.

House members voted today to restrict the use of children under 18 years of age in the promotion or advertising of the state lottery or any lottery games.

Rep. Harold Wright, R-Weatherford, the author of House Bill 1321, said promoting or advertising the lottery is no different from promoting or advertising liquor or tobacco and should be treated exactly the same.

“Children are not used in the promotion or advertising of alcohol or tobacco products because they have no business being associated with those products, The same is true for gambling and so the same is true for the state lottery.”

Wright said gambling is potentially addictive and therefore children are not allowed to take part in it. Constituents have told him again and again that for that reason, they do not think it is appropriate for children to even be associated with gambling in any way, he said.

“It’s a black and white issue to most of the people I talk to,” Wright said. “Part of the reason is that there really is no downside to this restriction. It isn’t hard to promote the lottery and, in truth, most Oklahomans are aware we have one as they voted to create it. I think it really is easy to support this bill.”

The bill passed 81-10 today and now goes to the Senate.

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