TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Capitalizing on a recent change in federal law, legislation has been filed to allow the Florida Lottery to sell tickets online.
The bill, SB 270 by Sen. Gwen Margolis (D-Miami Beach), is aimed at broadening the Lottery's revenue base to include out-of-state customers and occasional players who might be enticed to play more frequently if online tickets were an option. Last year, the Lottery posted a record $5.5 billion in sales.
Several states have have already taken advantage of the federal government's 2011 opinion that online lotteries don't constitute illegal gambling and are selling tickets through their lotteries' websites. Minnesota, one of those states, had their accelerated plans of online sales cut short by the state legislature, which feared expanded gambling in the state.
In Florida too, there are some who are criticizing the new legislation, warning that expanding the Lottery is tantamount to expanding gambling, which they argue can have a corrosive effect on families.
Even some regular players are skeptical of the legislation.
"I don't trust anybody where I'm asked, I gotta put a debit card or something like that, with my information in there. I just don't," said Lottery player Kimberly Wilson.
This sounds like a great idea. Which states are currently selling online tickets to out-of-state players? I'm familiar with MA sending tickets by Fed Ex and VA Lottery if you have a Va address.
If we cant buy online what good does it do us,I would play another state if I could believe me.
The bill would allow out of state players to play FL lottery online. Hope it passes.
Well, I guess so, but I wouldn't count on it staying that way. Right now the bill is extremely short — just a shell of a bill. I'm sure that if it continues it will be amended with all the necessary language and provisions — which will probably limit it to Florida residents.
Here is the complete text of the bill:
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to state lotteries; amending s.
3 24.105, F.S.; authorizing the Department of the
4 Lottery to create and administer a program that
5 provides for the sale of Florida lottery tickets
6 through the Internet; authorizing the department to
7 adopt rules; providing an effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Present subsections (19) and (20) of section
12 24.105, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (20)
13 and (21), respectively, and a new subsection (19) is added to
14 that section, to read:
15 24.105 Powers and duties of department.—The department
16 shall:
17 (19) Have the authority to create and administer a program
18 that allows a person who is 18 years of age or older to make an
19 online purchase of a Florida lottery ticket. The department may
20 adopt rules to administer the program.
21 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.
I hope it passes as well, at least for Florida residents. I hate having to go out to just buy
a lottery ticket, if I want to play, and have no other reason to go out. Often, I won't play because of. Because its seems such a waste of my time and fuel for my vehicle. But in the past retailers have lobbied against online sells, saying to sell tickets online will hurt their business, and I imagine they will do so again. So we shall see . . . To my mind, it's the lottery/state's business that is getting hurt by not selling tickets online in this day and age.
I also hope it passes because I'm tired of going to these small mom and pop stores just to buy a ticket and the clerks get a attitude.
I hope it passes. It would make it so convenient. Some times I lose out on a win because I cant go out for some reason or another. But I wonder how would we cash it in if sometimes you have terrible clerks that catch an attitude or a store manger that refuses to cash it even if you purchased it at their store. Also how will we get our ticket? will we be printing it or will they be mailing them or provide a number code with your information and provide proof of identity at a cashing location? I wonder? Never played online.
That's a great idea especially for those who don't have time to buy lottery tickets on way to or from work, college or shopping or simply don't like waiting in lines. Anyway, what I rather do is travel to some states since there are at least five states surrounding where I lived. Some states seem more luckier for some reasons, where there's more bigger winners.
Because of current Federal laws, players must be in the state to purchase tickets online. When KY starts selling tickets online, you'll still have go there to buy tickets.