NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The holidays are all about giving, and officials with the Virginia Lottery want to remind residents to do so responsibly.  The Virginia Lottery and the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling remind residents that giving lottery tickets to anyone under the age of 18 is illegal.   John Hagerty, a Virginia Lottery spokesperson, told 10 On Your Side that it’s best not to take a gamble when you’re giving out presents this year.   "Lottery tickets do make good gifts for adults, but remember that they're an age restricted product,” Hagerty said. “You have to be 18 to play. You have to be 18 to buy a ticket. It's actually illegal to give a ticket to someone who's younger than 18, to sell a ticket to anyone who's younger than 18, or to redeem a winning ticket from anyone who's younger than 18.”  Hagerty explained this is all a part of their gift responsibly message, launched around the holidays to make sure people are following the law.  He said it’s important to remember that while a lottery ticket may make a great stocking stuffer, it should ultimately end up in the hands of another adult.   "It's not just a matter of gifting responsibly, but also, don't let a minor pick out tickets for you that you then buy," he said. "That's completely inappropriate, or don't let your child pick out the numbers that you're going to use on a Powerball or a Mega Millions ticket." Hagerty said keeping kids away from the lottery all together is in their best interest.   "Studies have shown that the younger a person starts gambling, the greater the possibility that that person could develop a gambling problem later on,” Hagerty said.   While many might want to spread Christmas cheer with the possibility of winning the jackpot, he reminds everyone not to test their luck.   "We want to get the message out that you have to be 18-years-old to play the lottery, or older," Hagerty said, "and giving tickets to someone who's not 18, even if you're well-meaning, even if it's bought by an adult, it's still illegal."