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New interim CEO named at CT LotteryNews Story
A day after Frank Farricker resigned as Connecticut Lottery Corp. board chairman and interim CEO, the lottery's governing board named a new temporary chief executive to serve until a permanent president/CEO is hired in a month or two at the end of a national search that's now in progress. At a meeting Tuesday afternoon in lottery headquarters, the board appointed Chelsea Turner, the lottery's chief of strategy and government and operational affairs, to replace Farricker, until a committee of
May 16, 2017, 6:39 pm - Lottery News

Turmoil: Connecticut Lottery interim CEO quitsNews Story
Frank Farricker, the Connecticut Lottery Corp.'s board chairman and interim CEO, resigned from both unpaid but influential positions Monday after drawing heavy criticism during a legislative inquiry into lottery officials' handling of the fraud-plagued 5 Card Cash lottery game. Saying that he hopes to help the lottery agency by ceasing any further distractions, Farricker wrote to the quasi-public agency's general counsel, Matthew Stone, and said he was quitting immediately. I am proud to
May 15, 2017, 7:09 pm - Lottery News

Pennsylvania eyes leap to internet for casinos, lotteryNews Story
Facing huge deficits, Pennsylvania could become the first state to allow both its casinos and lottery to take its games online in a quest for money from new and younger players. The state government has a slew of fiscal challenges, made worse by sluggish tax collections and one of the nation's oldest average populations. A Republican-controlled Legislature trying to avoid a broad tax increase under Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has instead turned over other rocks in search of alternatives. Ther
Apr 24, 2017, 9:15 am - Lottery News

Proposal to boost N.J. pensions with lottery could happen this year, treasurer saysNews Story
The state treasurer said Thursday that Gov. Chris Christie's proposal to use New Jersey Lottery ticket proceeds to bolster the government worker pension fund could be finalized by the June 30 end of the fiscal year. Christie floated the somewhat opaque proposal to transfer assets from the lottery to the pension fund in his February budget address. His administration hasn't released any additional details since, including what would happen to the programs currently funded by the lottery.
Apr 7, 2017, 10:02 am - Lottery News

Lottery winner gets 21 years for financing drug trafficking operationNews Story
Ronnie Music Jr., a Waycross, Georgia man who sank part of $3 million in lottery winnings into methamphetamine trafficking, will spend the next 21 years in prison on drug conspiracy and firearms charges. Last July, the 46-year-old Music admitted his involvement in multi-state drug trafficking, including a ring being run from a Georgia prison that he fronted with lottery winnings. He also pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. (See Lottery winner invested $3M i
Apr 4, 2017, 5:28 pm - Lottery News

Taxpayers pay millions in bonuses to outgoing lottery firm's staffNews Story
Illinois taxpayers have funded about $2 million in retention bonuses for employees of a private firm managing the lottery despite the firm performing so poorly Illinois is working to replace it. A Tribune investigation has found the state approved paying bonuses as part of a complicated deal it struck in 2015 with the firm, Northstar Lottery Group. Northstar agreed to end its 10-year deal early if the state met a host of conditions, including paying Northstar disentanglement fees, which inclu
Mar 29, 2017, 9:21 am - Lottery News

Florida lottery tickets could soon come with warning labelNews Story
Florida lottery tickets could soon carry a big warning label if a Republican legislator gets her way. A House panel on Tuesday voted for a bill that would require all lottery tickets to say Warning: Gambling can be addictive. Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, a Mount Dora Republican who is sponsoring the bill, said lottery tickets are a government-sanctioned activity and should come with the same kind of warnings found on cigarettes. The Florida Lottery sells a wide lineup of tickets ranging in
Mar 29, 2017, 7:42 am - Lottery News

Illinois Lottery private manager still on job after firingNews Story
Finding a new lottery manager proves tricky for state government When Illinois lawmakers voted in 2009 to hire a private company to run the state's $2 billion-a-year lottery, they had high hopes of making more money that could be funneled into education and construction projects. Then the company missed sales goals, and two governors tried to fire Northstar Lottery Group. But Northstar remains on the job more than two years later, and the firm is now able to collect millions of dollars mor
Mar 28, 2017, 4:21 pm - Lottery News

N.J. Gov. proposes using lottery funds to fix pension holeNews Story
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie used his budget address Tuesday to take a final stab at saving government worker pensions, proposing to dedicate revenues from lottery ticket sales to the distressed fund. Christie suggested the state transfer the lottery to public pensions to provide a dedicated source of revenue and dramatically reduce the amount actuaries say the state owes. Christie said pledging the lottery as an asset to the pension fund would have the same effect as a cash infusion, s
Mar 1, 2017, 7:39 pm - Lottery News

Tennessee bill advances to remove lottery winners from government assistanceNews Story
The Tennessee House on Monday passed a bill despite opposition from Democrats that, if it becomes law, would require the names of lottery winners to be cross checked with federal and state government assistance programs. Sponsored by Rep. Dan Howell, R-Georgetown, passed by a 73-21 near party-line vote on Monday night. The bill would make any lottery winner of prizes more than $5,000 ineligible for government assistance. Howell said federal law, which has a lower prize threshold, requires
Feb 28, 2017, 3:52 pm - Lottery News