Scary Georgia Lottery Rumor for Players Everywhere

Have you heard - can you help debunk this rumor really, really quick?  Worse case scenario - Well depends on how much you value your privacy and play, I suppose.

I hear that Georgia vendors who sell lottery tickets will soon be undergoing education from the GA lottery on big changes coming soon. 

The rumor is that to play the GA Lottery each player will have to provide their personal info - name, address, etc., before they will be able to play.   A "debit" type card has also been mentioned.   Like most rumors, details are in short supply and I cannot divulge my sources, but they are in GA and they are lottery affiliated in some manner. 

I have long expressed my concern about making big splashes on multiple ticket wins, etc., because someone somewhere will do something, well, exactly like this.  Of course, laid out simply, winning up to 500-600 and not having to report it has probably always been stuck in someone's craw, and no real fanfare should have been necessary to stir that pot.

My hope is that GA is going to offer a casino-like atmosphere to players who wish to participate voluntarily.  You know, you go to a casino and join the players club, and that sweet little card that gets you perks also tracks your play, your stay, everything, providing valuable info to the casino.   What I don't understand is why the GA Lottery has not announced its plans to it's playing public (maybe it has), but has already scheduled vendors to start their training in the near future.

So, that's the rumor.  You are correct - I am not a GA player per se, but myself and every player in every state has the potential to be affected by this - Were a state to successfully institute a tracking system for every type of play, don't you think other states would be quick to follow?  Even if a state did not want to participate, think of the pressure they'd be under from state and federal taxers, not to mention social services, medicaid, etc.

Do you have the scoop on what's about to go on with the GA Lottery?  Is this a test?  Please share.  Please prove the rumor to be just that and I'll be a seriously happy camper.  Truly, I will.   

I hope it is a rumor, 'cause I will be a "Former" GA Lottery player the minute they start it.

"The rumor is that to play the GA Lottery each player will have to provide their personal info - name, address, etc., before they will be able to play.   A "debit" type card has also been mentioned."

That rumor could easily be debunked or confirmed by calling your GA state legislator because only they can create this type of law.

Have no idea what's going on in GA, but Idaho has a player's club type thing.  You get points for each dollar you spend, and you can redeem them for prizes or entries into sweepstakes.  I don't participate.  I probably could have redeemed my points for a pretty decent prize by now, but the loss of privacy just isn't worth it to me.  FWIW, I don't participate in grocery store/drug store preferred shopper programs either.  I take my business elsewhere where I can get good prices without signing anything.

Wow, I would be a former player also, that comes to Michigan , and I'll be done, Don't need to be tracked that way.

I would be buying somewhere else also!

The rumour may become a reality.  I have had several store clerks tell me about this change.  This will surely put an end to cash 3 and 4 in Georgia.  They will lose alot of players.  People in GA like to call out numbers too much for this to work.  Surely Margaret D will be history shortly.  I hope so anyway!!!!!

Big Brother        looking out for ?,..... Themselves. 

I have been reading this thread with interest.  They have got to be kidding!!

This will almost surely destroy the lottery games, specially P3 and P4.

I don't want someone knowing how much I win or lose..it is none of their business.  Now, if they were going to start an online play type thing, I could see that some information is needed to set up the account, but to your average in the street player, it is NOT going to happen. 

You need id to play any lottery because you must be able to prove you're over 18 if asked.

While at first it sounds pretty stupid to require id to play, as many will play and few will win.  It really isn't all that different from what's required when winning over $600 unless you want to hop from store to store.

"If you win more than $600, you'll need to fill out a claim form, collect your photo ID and Social Security card, and head to a Georgia Lottery district office . . ."

Now while I really don't have a clue, I'm thinking perhaps they want to go down the lines of food stamps where they have a reloadable debit card for players to both pay to play, collect and spend winnings, eh? 

Sure would make it easier for merchants to hand out a debit card or load a prize onto one instead of handling cash, though they don't need id to do that with other debit/gift cards so it must be a tax thing, child support, unpaid fines, etc. they want to be sure to collect, could be, maybe?

Hey, it's government, wouldn't put anything past 'em.  We just had a local government Hallandale Fl. fire a lifeguard for saving a guy from drowning because he was on the wrong side of some magic line in the sand.  Now the mayor joy cooper is trying to claim the company is an independent contractor the city hired to run the lifeguards so the city has nothing to do with their policy not to save people where they're not paid to save them, insane rubbish, but that's floriduh.

BobP


 

I don't like this.......

To all who took the time to respond- thanks!   Good points raised.  Oh, and I certainly thought about calling the GA Lottery directly and just asking, but I could find myself in a sticky situation if put on the spot and brought to the point that no, I'm not a GA resident.   My inquiring mind may just have to wait it out, although I hope if anyone here hears, they'll post and put me out of my misery.

I continue to be puzzled as to why the GA Lottery would start the buzz with its vendors without making a press release announcement about their plans.  Putting the cart before the horse sounds to me like a test.   In addition to an inquiring mind, I also have a very suspicious mind.    What's that lady's name who runs things down there in GA?  Anybody have her on Speed Dial?   J

My playing days would be over if this happens in PA.  We always say at work- too much info is a dangerous thing.

That's a Hot Mess!!

There is something about this on the Georgia gov website (General Assembly, 05 LC 19 6535S).

As a Georgia resident, I for one will not play if I have to provide personal information just to BUY a ticket. To redeem a "big" prize, fine.