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Two Alaska state lottery plans are about to be debated; here's how they'd workNews Story
Alaska is one of five U.S. states without a lottery. This year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and House Majority Leader Steve Thompson, a Republican from Fairbanks, have each offered plans to change that. With Alaska state government projecting a $1.5 billion budget deficit, both men have said a lottery could be one step toward a broader fix. But both have proposed very different approaches. Thompson is suggesting a draw-style lottery that would raise between $8 million and $10 million a year for the
Feb 17, 2020, 8:50 am - Lottery News

Despite predictions, state lottery ticket sales have not been hurt by casinosNews Story
For years, Rajesh Keshar heard the concerns of his fellow owners of corner stores in Everett, Massachusetts, about what the Encore Boston Harbor casino might do to their lottery sales. They worried that some customers would shift their spending from scratch tickets and numbers games to slot machines and gaming tables. Everybody was talking bad about it, said Keshar, who runs Elm Street Market, about 2.5 miles from the massive casino, which opened in June. I was thinking positive. Because I k
Feb 3, 2020, 9:37 am - Lottery News

Kentucky Lottery president and CEO set to retireNews Story
In today's meeting of the Kentucky Lottery Corporation's board of directors, Lottery President and CEO Tom Delacenserie announced his retirement effective March 6. Delacenserie, who turns 72 years old this year, assumed the top job in May 2017. Sales from FY17 through FY19 rose from $1,000,501,000 to $1,129,655,000, a $129.1 million (12.9%) increase during his tenure. We've accomplished a tremendous amount in the last two and a half years, Delacenserie said. We strengthened our brand by c
Jan 24, 2020, 12:30 pm - Lottery News

Texas Lottery to expand ticket sales at checkout lanesNews Story
Charlie Thomas, a home health care provider who also scrubs floors in the evening, says he buys lottery tickets every time I get a paycheck. Thomas, 55, has been playing the Texas Lottery for two decades. His fortune hunting takes a $30 bite out of his weekly pay, but he's won about $1,000 over the years. His most recent good fortune was a $100 win on a bingo lottery ticket. He was less lucky one day last month: The $2 scratch-off he bought at an East Austin convenience store came up empt
Jan 21, 2020, 9:36 am - Lottery News

State auditor general to audit Pennsylvania Lottery, with special focus on high-frequency winnersNews Story
State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced a new performance audit of the Pennsylvania Lottery Wednesday, with a special emphasis on studying the state-run gaming franchise's protections against being ripped off by players or retailers who are intentionally gaming the system. Last fiscal year, Pennsylvania Lottery players bought $4.5 billion in game tickets and claimed more than $2.9 billion in prizes, DePasquale said in announcing the new review at the state Capitol. Seniors, lottery
Dec 4, 2019, 3:32 pm - Lottery News

New Jersey Lottery celebrates 50-year anniversaryNews Story
New Jersey is celebrating the Golden Anniversary of voters approving the establishment of a State Lottery, which at the time made New Jersey only the third U.S. state to pass a legal lottery. As part of the 1969 General Election, the measure was wholeheartedly welcomed by an astonishing 81.5% voter approval, making it one of the largest favorable public responses in New Jersey legislative history. The goal was to establish a state lottery similar to those conducted in neighboring states a
Nov 1, 2019, 12:33 pm - Lottery News

Bill would let Wisconsin Lottery retailers accept debit payment in addition to cashNews Story
In an age when more people are making purchases with plastic cards and digital devices, some Wisconsin lawmakers say it's time for lottery players to be able buy tickets via debit payment instead of strictly with cash. I'm thinking we need to get to the modern age with modern payment systems, which includes debit, said state Rep. Terry Katsma (R-Oostburg), one of the sponsors of a bipartisan bill that would allow debit payment for lottery tickets. But the retailers who sell the tickets an
Oct 30, 2019, 3:38 pm - Lottery News

20 years later: Will a lottery vote come before the people of Alabama again?News Story
Saturday will mark 20 years since the people of Alabama voted against allowing a lottery. This is something that citizens have asked us for by their actions, said Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison (D- Birmingham). They're telling us if we can't get it here, we'll go someplace else to get it. Coleman-Madison is among many legislators who say it's time to let the people vote again. The details of that lottery proposal haven't been as easy for legislators to agree on. Senate President Pro Tem D
Oct 11, 2019, 9:58 pm - Lottery News

81-year-old Mass. man sentenced to prison for part in multimillion-dollar lottery ticket scamNews Story
An 81-year-old man from Lynn, Massachusetts, was sentenced Monday to two months in prison for his part in a multimillion-dollar lottery scam, according to federal prosecutors. Clarance Jones, 81, pleaded guilty in May to conspiring to commit tax fraud and filing false tax returns. The Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's office said Jones was a part of a ten-percenting scheme in which he bought millions of dollars of winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets at a discount to help winners avoid
Sep 25, 2019, 7:53 am - Lottery News

Questions surround D.C. lottery and gambling contract, but high-level D.C. staffer says it's fineNews Story
Several D.C. Council members are asking whether the $215 million lottery and sports gambling contract the council approved this summer fulfills local business subcontracting requirements. This week, they got an answer from a high-level District staffer: Everything's fine. Yes, the contract is compliant with D.C. law requiring companies with large public contracts to subcontract some of the work to local businesses, Kristi Whitfield, director of the department responsible for monitoring compl
Sep 18, 2019, 9:54 am - Lottery News