HOLLAND, Mich. — Lounging on the couch at home playing Keno and buying lottery tickets on your iPhone or computer doesn't sit well with some West Michigan lawmakers.
"I know seniors right now whose Social Security doesn't last a month because they're buying lottery tickets at the local store. If they can do it from home, their checks will be gone in less than two weeks," said State Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge.
A new game system called iLottery would begin offering online sales of single tickets and instant games near the end of the year. The types of games available on iLottery have not been announced.
Jones, a co-sponsor of a Senate bill to prevent Michigan Lottery sales of Keno and lottery ticket sales online, denounced the idea along with other Republican legislators at a Holland Chamber meeting this week.
"I don't want people to lose their homes, because they're gambling from their homes," Jones said.
Rep. Amanda Price, R-Grand Haven, said gambling can easily become an addiction and she does not want to see the state putting betting slips in the hands of everyone who has an iPhone or iPad to encourage it.
"I know first-hand about addiction because there's alcohol addiction in my family — and the state lottery shouldn't be encouraging people like this," Price said.
"Putting gambling online would be almost pressuring people, from high school kids to seniors, to be tempted," she said.
Making more money for the state is the idea behind iLottery, which could bring at least $118 million in additional revenue to the Michigan School Aid Fund in the first four years and over $300 million a year by the sixth year.
Lottery Commissioner Scott Bowen told lawmakers in written testimony in February, "The ability to purchase products over the Internet is a modern-day convenience that our players demand. " He also noted the service would be provided in a "socially responsible manner," with security to prevent those underage from playing.
Sen. Roger Victory, R-Hudsonville, Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck, and Rep. Joe Haveman also panned plans for an iLottery at the meeting.
"The lottery is a tax on those who are poor ... in math. It's a waste of money with more losers than winners," Haveman said.
Jones said he would rather stick with people having to go to service stations and stores for lottery tickets.
"At least they can pick up milk and bread and some food there that they can eat when their ticket doesn't win."
These Michigan legislators sound incredibly silly. I wonder if they ever try listening to the things they're saying. If they did, they might not speak so much.
The Michigan legislature is controlled by a group of Conservative Republicans who want to control every factor of life in Michigan. I won't be surprised if Sen. Rick Jones, who I think is a publicity whore and anal retentive, tries to control bowel movements of men women and children in our state. The people voted to legalize medical marijuana and Senator Jones immeadiately began to attack the law and neuter it. These guys scream about the government control from Washington while at the same time they try to annex our bodies and souls. The seniors that Jones says would sit on there couch and gamble, will still find their way to a lottery terminal to play. He mentions nothing about the Buses you can find in every Walmart and Target parking lot every morning waiting to ferry seniors to the casino, where I guarantee they will lose money far faster than they would sitting at home.
this would be darwinism at its finest. lose their money, homes, lives faster and get off the gov't books faster while putting money in state coffers. sounds like a win-win to me.
i think the people should do what they want it is their money
this is USA
not Russia
Even if online lottery is legal, I don't want to participate because I don't want my credit card company or bank to know that I am gambling
they won't
Yes they will. They are watching.
who watching
Shhhhhhhhhh... D bank.
i have 3 different banks so if anyone be watching me they will keep busy
Anything that's on your bank statement they can see. Charges at the liquor store. Charges at the casino. Charges at the state lottery. Charges at the on-line gambling site. Charges at the liquor store. Charges at the adult shop.
You see what I mean?
that's why they don't say that!! ding ding ding
you must have a very interesting bank statement
NOT me. Mine just says:
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw
Cash withdraw.
yeah i heard they only take cash @ them adult shops.
When I go for a massage and the statement says charges at "friendly touch" it arouses suspicion.
my bank statement says deposit deposit deposit i can't keep up with them
If you pay your speeding tickets with a card, they will see that too.
"The people voted to legalize medical marijuana and Senator Jones immeadiately began to attack the law and neuter it."
Pothead, huh?
Just move to Colorado.
There, problem solved.
That's a good point. I read that supposedly some credit card companies monitor your transactions to see what you are doing and use that info to decide if you get a credit increase or not. Not sure if that is true, but it is something to think about.
In my state, online gambling is illegal and lottery tickets can only be bought with cash, no credit cards. Of course, some stores will sell them on credit cards anyway, and some still gamble online. Some credit card companies actually block gambling related transactions, I wonder if that would apply to lottery.
Some gambling sites have ways around the blocks and the laws, and I found out when someone made a false charge on my credit card. A few years ago, I found a charge for over $200 on one of my credit cards that I didn't make. It referenced a URL and that ways it. I did some research on that URL and found it on a site that was supposedly a furniture store in London. I did some more digging and found that same URL referenced on sites that were everything from video games, hardware, even a bakery, and all were in London at the same address. I found out later that address was a mailbox rental place. Further research told me that same URL was for a gambling site. It turns out if someone wants to gamble online, it is processed through one of these front businesses, and it shows up on the credit card as something other than gambling, therefore nobody catches it. Lucky for me, they removed the charge from my card an I never heard another thing.
Colorado, Cali, Washington state
Wait, WHAT?! What the heck are these politicians smoking?!
Thanks for making an assupmption about me RDGNR. I support a law that was voted into law by the people of our state. When they legalize online lottery in Michigan I'd like to enjoy it from the privacy of my house, instead of having some minority of idiots trying to impose Their beliefs on the public.
Senator Jones and yourself however seem to have a stick up your respective asses. I won't suggest that you move from your State because I'm afraid you might move to mine. Deadhead!
I agree 100% Todd, try living here!
There trying to tell me how to spend my money or is it just so i have more money that the govt can TAX me out of? Hmmm.
If they have security to prevent underage from playing I think there will be no problem to have online lottery games. Online lottery game is good for people because it's accessible. If they don't have enough money they should be responsible enough to know what is best for them.