Canada Lottery encourages a responsible play approach. Lottery games are designed to be entertaining and as a way for the community to generate additional funds for social, education, and health programs. If you find that playing the lottery is starting to negatively impact your life, or that of those around you, there is help available for you.

This negative impact can affect different areas of your life including your health, relationships, career, and finances. Whenever you find yourself in this situation, remember that it is perfectly normal to need help and that reaching out is normally the best way to move forward.

Here are some points to keep in mind when playing the lottery:

• Playing the lottery is not an investment or a way to make money.
• The lottery is supposed to be a fun experience. If it stops being fun, you should probably stop playing.
• If you think you are spending too much money on the lottery, try setting a budget for yourself in order to limit this.
• Know the odds and have realistic expectations of how much you can win.
• Avoid being secretive with your friends and family about how often you play.

Problem gambling can be defined as an urge to gamble continuously and compulsively with no desire to stop, despite being aware of the harmful and negative consequences.

If you prioritize being able to afford to gamble before buying essentials such as food, paying bills, or paying rent, it could mean you have issues with gambling.

Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the gambler meets certain criteria. Extreme cases of problem gambling may result in financial ruin, legal issues, loss of family and career, or even suicide.

Not at all. Anyone who gambles can develop problems under certain circumstances such as not being aware of the risks or not doing so responsibly. This problem is very hard - sometimes even impossible - to tackle alone, regardless of how strong willed you are. This is why reaching out for help is so important.

There are several factors such as a person's ability to cope with stress or their genetic tendency to develop addictions of any kind. Even social upbringing, environment, and moral attitudes toward gambling can cause an individual to be unable to control gambling.

How often one plays or how much they have spent or won playing the lottery does not determine the existence of a problem. Problem gambling becomes an issue as soon as it starts to have a negative impact on any area of an individual's life or the life of those around them.