N.C. Lottery's image takes hit

Oct 28, 2005, 6:30 pm (12 comments)

North Carolina Lottery

North Carolina's lottery, not even 60 days old and nowhere near selling tickets, already looks dirty in the minds of the public, Lottery Commission Chairman Charles Sanders said Wednesday.

"There is a doubt in the public's mind," said Sanders, former CEO of pharmaceutical giant Glaxo, "as to whether this is an honest and fair process."

Controversies that have arisen around lottery company Scientific Games and its connections to both a lottery commissioner and a top aide to House Speaker Jim Black have created the perception that the company played an inappropriate role in writing the state lottery law, Sanders said after the commission's second meeting.

At the same meeting, the commission approved a strict code of ethics, a potential first step in rebuilding the image of the state numbers game, which depends on its integrity for survival.

"It's going to take a while to gain the public confidence about the lottery," Sanders said.

State officials are investigating the work of Meredith Norris, former top political aide to House Speaker Jim Black. She worked as a consultant for Scientific Games but was not registered as a lobbyist for the company. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall is trying to determine whether Norris was lobbying for the company. Norris lined up a dinner last summer for Black and a company executive and attempted to arrange a yacht excursion for legislators and company officials.

Kevin Geddings, a lottery commission member from Charlotte who helped start the S.C. lottery, has a long friendship with an executive at Scientific Games, one of the two major lottery companies. Geddings, who also once did business with the executive, has said he won't vote on the selection of a lottery operator.

The commission, down from nine to eight members after Tuesday's resignation by former Charlotte City Councilman Malachi Greene, voted unanimously to approve a code of ethics that:

  • Bans gifts from lottery contractors.
  • Prohibits talking with vendors or contractors outside a commission meeting.
  • Bars commissioners from buying lottery tickets or winning jackpots.
  • Requires a two-year cooling-off period between a commissioner's resignation and when they can work for a lottery vendor or contractor.

Commissioners also heard from the head of the major national lottery association and from Rebecca Paul, director of the Tennessee Lottery, who has started lotteries there and in Georgia and Florida. Both speakers outlined important tasks for the commission, the first of which is hiring an executive director. Sanders hopes to have five finalists identified before the commission's Nov. 9 meeting.

Paul left commissioners each a goody bag that included a Tennessee Lottery visor and golf balls, which commissioners ironically wondered if they could accept.

Charlotte Observer

Comments

Rip Snorter

Too bad.  Sounds as though this might put the brakes on things before it begins if it keeps up.

Jack

shalini

many years ago something similar happened in India, but then they managed to sort it out.

CASH Only

Has a lottery ever been approved but never got off the ground? I'm talking about an entire lottery, not a specific game.

swimmer17

I've had it with the lottery! they always try to fool you!

Does anyone here can tell me if the online scratch cards at this web site i found are better? (www.scratch2cash.com)

Nick.

Chewie

I've had it with the lottery! they always try to fool you!

Does anyone here can tell me if the online scratch cards at this web site i found are better? (www.scratch2cash.com)

Nick.

What part of gambling confuses you? The only part of one kind over another, is the one that pleases you.

wreakshavok777's avatarwreakshavok777

you hear all the time .."I've had it with the lottery! been buying tickets for 2 years have won nothing!!!!" you gotta play with the attitude that you will win someday and keep a positive spin on it! remember this  "play and grin someday you win" ....."play and moan you might want to get loan!"

CASH Only

you hear all the time .."I've had it with the lottery! been buying tickets for 2 years have won nothing!!!!" you gotta play with the attitude that you will win someday and keep a positive spin on it! remember this  "play and grin someday you win" ....."play and moan you might want to get loan!"

If I lived close enough to Massachusetts or New Jersey (MM states), I probably would have stopped playing the NY Lottery. There's too much NY does wrong.

Drivedabizness

definitely a PR faux pas...whose side is this guy on? 

 

Both vendors certainly did their best to educate (influence) the powers that be and SGMS got caught being more blatant than usual.

 

Nothing more, nothing less - business as usual except it is very rare for Commissioners to have to excuse themselves from voting on much of anything - particularly the biggest contract their agency will ever award.  Better for them to step down IMO.

CASH Only

havok:

Who are those two guys in that car?

wreakshavok777's avatarwreakshavok777

havok:

Who are those two guys in that car?

hahaha..funny you ask , that might be your next powerball winner!

CASH Only

havok:

Who are those two guys in that car?

hahaha..funny you ask , that might be your next powerball winner!

They look like they would tell everyone they won, if they ever do.

libra926

 

SWIMMER 17

"Does anyone here can tell me if the online scratch cards at this web site i found are better? (www.scratch2cash.com)"

Nick.

Are you "17"???..... your english begs the question........

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