Washington’s Lottery Achieves Top Responsible Gambling Certification

Five Years of Commitment to Responsible Gambling

This achievement follows a structured, multi-year effort. Washington’s Lottery first gained recognition at the Planning Level in 2019. It advanced to the Implementation Level in 2021 and now has reached the Sustaining Level, the highest available.

A team of independent experts assessed the lottery’s approach to responsible gambling across eight key areas, including employee training, retailer education, advertising policies, and player resources.

Kristi Weeks, Director of Legal Services at Washington’s Lottery, emphasized the importance of this certification. “I can’t begin to express how proud I am of the work our team has done to achieve this important standard. We have a unique obligation as a state agency that sells a gambling product and need to balance the goal of raising money for important state initiatives like education with the need to acknowledge and assist the small percentage of players who may experience gambling-related distress. We take that work very seriously and weave it into all aspects of our jobs.”

Embedding Responsible Gambling Across Operations

Unlike many organizations that limit responsible gambling efforts to a single department, Washington’s Lottery has integrated these principles throughout its entire workforce.

Employees receive training to recognize gambling-related risks, while retailers and advertisers follow strict guidelines to promote safe play.

One of the independent assessors noted that the lottery had successfully normalized responsible gambling in its day-to-day activities.

Receiving the Sustaining Level certification is not a one-time achievement. Washington’s Lottery must reapply every three years to maintain its status.

This requirement ensures it continues to meet evolving industry standards and strengthens its responsible gambling initiatives.