Wichita ? The Kansas Lottery is asking parents not to give their minor children lottery tickets for the holidays.

A recent national study found that 19 percent of high school students said they had received at least one lottery ticket or scratch-off card as a gift. The tickets typically came from relatives.

Kansas Lottery executive director Ed Van Petten says it’s illegal for anyone under 18 year old to buy a lottery ticket. But he said parents shouldn’t give the tickets to younger children, either.

He said they should only be given as gifts to people who are old enough to play legally.

Lottery officials add that there’s concern giving the tickets to younger children may also foster problem gambling in adolescents.