The New Hamprshire Senate joined Governor John Lynch on Thursday in endorsing a doubling of the top-priced scratch ticket cost.
The bill (SB 20) would raise the lottery ticket cost from $10 to $20.
The Senate passed it, 18-5, after no debate on the subject.
Senate Majority Leader Robert Clegg, R-Hudson, said the Lottery Commission has committed to public service announcements that warn about compulsive gambling.
Nashua Democratic Sen. Joseph Foster voted against the bill, the only one among the eight who represent Greater Nashua communities.
I think there are better ways for the state to raise revenue than gambling, as a general matter, Foster said after the vote.
Im not against the lottery, but I dont think we ought to expand it further.
Lynch already has counted on the higher-priced ticket delivering roughly $5 million to help finance his proposed two-year state budget.
Scratch tickets are by far the biggest money makers for the lottery, generating about two-thirds of its profits that support state aid to education.Lawmakers had approved a $10 ticket in 2000, four years after they raised the top ticket price from $3 to $5 in 1996.
$20 price seems high, but reasonable since all the other states are doing it now.
63% payback on a 2o buck game is highway robbery!
NY has $10 (annuity-only) scratches.
Ok, they're doubling the price to $20. No mention of doubling the prizes. First things first, I guess. Why confuse the issue with details?
They can scratch my azz (Todd needs a "mooning smiley").
annuity scratch offs,oh boy!
$20, gone in 20 seconds of scratching. I would feel really disgusted and used. I'll buy 20 Megamillions ones if I want to spend $20, and we'll see who wins more. I guess NH is full of people who have too much money and want to give it back to the state $20 at a time - strange for such a tax hating state.
NH is not as rich as everyone thinks. There are a lot of people living below the poverty line there.