May be up & running this year
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe signed identical House and Senate bills into law today to create an Arkansas Lottery to fund scholarships to Arkansas college students.
"You could look at this as Arkansas becoming the 43 state to have a lottery, but there's another way to look at it. We're the first state where all of the lottery proceeds will go to college scholarships," Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who spearheaded the drive for the constitutional amendment voters passed last year to authorize a state lottery, said after Beebe signed the bills at a Capitol ceremony.
Beebe says he sees no reason the lottery cannot be up and running by the end of the year. The state will provide "start-up" money as needed, but that money will probably be repaid to the state in the same fiscal year from lottery proceeds, he said.
The governor, House Speaker Robbie Wills, D-Conway, and Senate President Pro Tem Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow, each make three appointments to a lottery commission under the measure to set up and oversee lottery operations.
Johnson made a familiar name in Arkansas politics his first appointment — former congressman, university president and state Supreme Court justice Ray Thornton.
Thornton will service a six-year term. Johnson also named businesswoman Patty L. Shipp of Morrilton to a four-year term and Little Rock lawyer Derrick W. Smith to a two-year term.
The governor and House speaker did not immediately make appointments to the lottery panel.
Oklahoma expects sales decline
Oklahoma lottery officials say they will lose sales when the border state of Arkansas implements its new lottery.
Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe signed legislation on Wednesday to create a lottery as Arkansas joined 42 other states and the District of Columbia, where such games are legal.
Jim Scroggins, the director of the Oklahoma Lottery, was reported to be out of town and unavailable for comment.
But Rolla Redburn, the director of administration for the lottery in Oklahoma, said he expects Arkansas will be trying to get its games up and running as soon as possible.
"We feel like the Arkansas lottery is going to cost us some sales," Redburn said.
Many Arkansas residents, especially those in the western part of the state, have bought lottery tickets over the years in nearby eastern Oklahoma.
Arkansas' second-largest city, Fort Smith, and the growing Fayetteville-Springdale area are located on or near the Oklahoma state line.
Beebe said he did not vote for the lottery plan approved by a vote of the people, but never thought of not signing the legislation because he liked the money the plan will provide for college scholarships and "the people passed it, and the people are the boss."
Oklahoma's lottery, which also provides funds for education, was implemented in October 2005, after being championed by Gov. Brad Henry.
Critics of the lottery, mostly Republicans in the Legislature, have said it has never met expectations for providing education funding.
The last two years, lottery officials have had bills introduced to increase the percentage of lottery proceeds that go to prizes, saying that would lead to more players and increase education funding. Those plans have never received committee hearings, however.
"It would sure be helpful if we could get the profit restriction removed in Oklahoma and make us a little more competitive (with other states)," Redburn said.
Many Republicans lawmakers oppose the lottery on moral grounds and do not want to do anything to increase those playing the lottery.
In 2007, a GOP lottery foe in the Senate had a bill to turn operation of the lottery over to a private company, but it failed to pass.
Rep. Tad Jones, R-Claremore, the House majority floor leader, is among the legislative lottery foes.
"I didn't support expanding the prize money with the claim that we are going to have more money for schools. We've been oversold on how much the lottery would raised from the beginning," he said.
"I just don't support the concept" of encouraging more gambling to get more money for schools, Jones said.
Earlier this month, Scroggins said lottery revenue is down 2 percent, but he still expects $191 million in sales and to meet the goal of raising $69 million for education during the current fiscal year.
But at a meeting in December, Scroggins and members of the commission that oversees the lottery warned that revenue will tail off in future years unless lawmakers relent and allow prize money to be increased.
Officials say lottery sales in Oklahoma also are negative affected because the state has more than 80 casinos, most of which are on American Indian tribal land.
Congratulations Arkansas residents!!
Ditto...!
1 more down, 7 to go....!
With so few states left without a lottery, there are precious few times left for us to witness all the stuff that goes into the creation of a new state lottery. I look at the next few months as being an exciting time, as we follow Arkansas' progress.
I hope that at least some of the committee members sign up at Lottery Post to learn about what real, loyal lottery players think. If they don't want to let people know who they are, at least sign up anonymously. Ask some questions, learn what's important to the players.
Please don't assume that your lottery director colleagues in neighboring states know everything about everyday lottery players. Too many of them (especially those who are "more successful") have lost touch with the players. They may be popular in their political circles, but not among the players.
Finally, please look back in the News section for stories regarding the Tennessee Lottery, and learn from the mistakes made there. Do not assume that lottery vendors have all the answers. They only have the answers that will benefit them financially.
Please make the lottery players feel important and included.
Congratulations to all who will play the Arkansas lottery when it's up and going!!!
"Thornton will service a six-year term. Johnson also named businesswoman Patty L. Shipp of Morrilton to a four-year term and Little Rock lawyer Derrick W. Smith to a two-year term."
I know her and that's my home town!
Good choice!
congratualtions for arkansas residents, you have a new tax bill.
Huh?
It would be great to see all states have access to the lottery, but there are a few states that I don't ever see getting into the lottery. Well maybe not never, but actually starting up the lotto would be a long-shot.
LOTTERY POST MEMBERS dON'T MAKE STUPID COMMENTS!!!! who do U THINk U ARE ?!?! PSYKOMO?!!? LOL. OR PUMPI?!?!! LOL WHATS WITH THAT NAME ANYWAY ...PUMP-e anyway... LOL ...
i jest. i jest. [ IN RESPONSE TO TODD'S "HUH", ABOVE ] LOL.
This article hits close to home actually. Literally. As an Oklahoma native, I can tell you that Oklahoma does have alot of casinos that do destract and detract the overall :gambling: < I DON'T LIKE THIS WORD TOO MUCH, IT'S NEVER ACCURATE.> populace - from say, plunging fully into spending their $$$ into POWERBALL, CASH5, OR HOTTLOTTO, which are the main lotteries we have available here.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
But, what really shocks me is that they would even consider, EVEN think, Of in any way, shape , or form, PRIVITAZING
the lottery. That is idiotic. One, its the generally employed player who plays the lottery, and feeds the jackpots to their huge amounts. So to have A non-government agency run the show, is absolutely insane to me. The general benefactors, after all prize winnings are payed out to THE PLAYERS, are the children, the elderly, or the city itself, through Education, Programs, and Projects, Respecitvely.
So, that is quite shocking, and what is also shocking, is that I also wondered why for example when I went to Texas, how their scratchers are so much bigger in prize levels than ours are. Here the most you can win is 45K, and that's crazy I never knew that there was a law limiting prizes, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY BC IF THE LOTTERY IS LEGAL, WHY THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY CAN CONTROL PRIZE LEVELS.
I know casinos here, that offer even more than that just on promotional drawings, and pay out regular money, and have fun atmospheres. But anyway, Anything that limits the availability of something is not acceptable, once u turn 21, u are a thinking rational adult, the government needs to mind its own business, [a.k.a lowering the national debt - mostly mortgages and loans], instead of INTRUDING on the recreational activities and entertainment habits and or practices of full-grown adults. 
ANYWAY,
I think our neighbor-state Arkansas won't steal away anything from Oklahoma, if anything, Arkansas will contribute to the amazing and FUN, game known as Powerball. And i emphasize FUN, 
bc to me I trust the lottery more than casinos, and fraNKLY, I LOVE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE GAME, choosing my own numbers, and checking my own ticket. so i guess its more of an individual gamble game IGG??? lol, casinos are more of a group thing, or a couple thing, but they are fun, too. xept the smoking ones, they choke me out. lol. but we have plenty of non-smoking ones here so its all perfectly good. lol. Anyhow this is my longest post yet lol, and I hate boring people soo... 
all i have to say is, we have to start demanding what we want,
since without us the games are nothing. And when we demand what we wnt, we enjoy the game more, 
and thefore don't mind losing so damn much. HAHAHA LOL... then AGAIN, i think all of us, even though probably only about 03% of us will ever win a big prize, we will keep playing, bc the lotto is what we love, and to all of you who share this tingly, exciting feeling, that is buying a lotto ticket, i say to you. "FRIEND.... HOW DO YOU PICK YOUR NUMBERS?" HAHAHAHA. 
Congrats Arkansans!
I can not wait until I can play!
I like your spirit!
(And use of emoticons!)
I agree with you. I'm one who believes that positive energy feeds more positive energy, and the South is going to be feeling it!
There are always some that bring a negative vibe, and rather than let it sit there lit a rotten egg, I think you have the right idea wth calling it out.
This is going to be fun!
Yohoo Mega million pot has started growing we gotta catch up the powerball lottery and make me rich...
Another state joining the lottery club. My state of Louisiana wasn't mentioned, since people from southern Arkansas come here and get tickets. We've had some winners from there. At least MS doesn't have a lottery and they'll still cross the border to get tickets.