N.J. lawmakers trying to meddle with lottery's new Keno game

Feb 8, 2018, 7:41 pm (9 comments)

New Jersey Lottery

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday considered overhauling a new keno-style lottery game that the bill's sponsor worries will draw business away from Atlantic City's casinos.

The Democrat-led Assembly gaming committee heard testimony on legislation that would essentially gut how Quick Draw is played, reducing its drawings from every five minutes to just twice daily.

The legislation comes about six months after the lottery, which has struggled to meet revenue projections in recent years, unveiled the game, promising it would net about $20 million in the fiscal year ending June 30.

Committee chairman Ralph Caputo said lawmakers got little notice about the game from former Republican Gov. Chris Christie's administration, and they're concerned the game could hurt Atlantic City gambling houses.

"It's a sensitive issue. We're talking about market share in gaming," said Caputo, a co-sponsor of the bill. "Anytime there's a new game it could take market share away from an existing casino."

Spokeswomen with the lottery and state Treasury department, which oversee the game, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lottery and Treasury representatives did not testify at the hearing.

The Christie administration announced the game last April, and playing began in bars and restaurants in August. Through December it has brought it under $5 million.

Just two people testified on the measure. Bob Marshall, the legislative affairs director of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, supports the bill. He said the game essentially expands casino-style gaming.

Diane Weiss, executive director of the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association, opposed the bill, saying Quick Draw has been good for the vendors she represents. She said the game has encouraged people to order more food and drinks at restaurants where it's played.

The game's rollout last year appeared to be an about-face for the Christie administration, which in 2015 agreed to a rewritten contract with the private firm running part of the lottery on the grounds that the state denied video-monitor games. The redrawn contract meant the company could get bonuses for hitting lower revenue targets. But once the game was approved, those targets were not raised.

While the public stands to benefit if Quick Draw increases lottery revenues, gains may not be as high as they could have been.

Christie and the Legislature last year also transferred the lottery, valued at about $13 billion to the state's troubled public pension fund. The move was designed to lower the pension's unfunded liability, which the Christie administration estimated at around $50 billion. The move means that the lottery is indirectly helping public pensioners.

Players can purchase a Quick Draw play for a $1 minimum up to a $10 maximum. Prizes range from $1 up to $1,000,000 depending on the purchase amount.

Players select from 1 to 10 numbers out of a pool of 80 numbers. The odds and potential prizes are determined by the quantity of spots selected. Players win by matching some or all of their numbers to the 20 numbers drawn.

AP

Comments

ckrakowski

Yes alter the lottery so it does not take in alot of money because  it was not bringing in the money you promised it would. Might as well scrap it since you enviably will citing lower then expected money being brought in.

 

UnhappyDisapproveLurking

Stack47

For years the parking lots at casinos in Michigan, Indiana, PA, and West Virginia were filled with Ohio license plates until Ohio passed a bill allowing casino gambling. The horse racing people were against it so a compromise made putting slot machines at race tracks and gave a portion of the revenue to the horse racing industry. The West Virginia Lottery partnered with that states horse racing industry by putting slot machines at horse and dog racing tracks. It was a "win-win" for both. 

"Committee chairman Ralph Caputo said lawmakers got little notice about the game from former Republican Gov. Chris Christie's administration, and they're concerned the game could hurt Atlantic City gambling houses."

From the Jersey legislators point of view the only difference between lottery keno revenue and casino keno revenue should be the lottery keno's will be much higher. I can't find any Atlantic City casino that offers live Keno lounges so Caputo must mean an overall effect lottery games have on the entire casino industry. But why should he be so concerned with where gambling revenues come from?

Bleudog101

Harrah's website said they are one of two casinos that offer Keno.  We didn't make it to Harrahs; Borgata was too fabulous, flying us up on a private jet (22 of us) and free hotel/no resort fees.  So I don't know if it was live Keno or not.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Feb 9, 2018

Harrah's website said they are one of two casinos that offer Keno.  We didn't make it to Harrahs; Borgata was too fabulous, flying us up on a private jet (22 of us) and free hotel/no resort fees.  So I don't know if it was live Keno or not.

Apparently Harrah's is the only casino with live Keno which makes the idea of limiting the lottery keno even worse.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Feb 10, 2018

Apparently Harrah's is the only casino with live Keno which makes the idea of limiting the lottery keno even worse.

The website(s) are very vague.  It mentioned Caesars and we did go over there and didn't see--then again only stayed in the basement level, but I think it is gone.

 

Off the subject---two five # Megamillions winners in New Jersey last night sans Megaplier.  Wonder if Todd was one of them?

Kosh

My two cents worth:

 

I am happy that the keno drawings in NJ are being cut back to twice a day.  That will make it easier to beat.  One can now really use websites like Kenostat and makenodata and not have to try to keep up every 4 or 5 minutes and try to figure things out on the fly.  I wish Mass lottery would do the same.

 

 

Regards,

 

Kosh

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Feb 10, 2018

The website(s) are very vague.  It mentioned Caesars and we did go over there and didn't see--then again only stayed in the basement level, but I think it is gone.

 

Off the subject---two five # Megamillions winners in New Jersey last night sans Megaplier.  Wonder if Todd was one of them?

Off the subject: Attempting to find out who the 2nd prize winners are , could be defined as "meddling" BD.

 

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Feb 11, 2018

Off the subject: Attempting to find out who the 2nd prize winners are , could be defined as "meddling" BD.

 

I should have said what I meant, that it would be nice if a LP member/Founder had the five #'s....LOL noise-gate.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Feb 11, 2018

I should have said what I meant, that it would be nice if a LP member/Founder had the five #'s....LOL noise-gate.

Good to know that there are still some out there who have a sense of humor, and don't take themselves too serious. I used meddle in that line, because it is part of the topic under discussion.Big Smile  Glad you " got it." The word means : Interfere in or busy oneself unduly with something that is not one's concern. That could be put to great use as of late...if only.

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