Massachusetts treasurer continues campaign to allow online lottery sales

Dec 10, 2018, 10:10 am (18 comments)

Massachusetts Lottery

Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg continued her campaign to allow the state's lottery to sell tickets online. She told a budget panel that Lottery sales have begun to drop, citing the record $1.035 billion it generated in 2017 and the drop to $997 million in fiscal 2018.

Of the 44 states with lotteries, 11 of them now offer online purchases. New Hampshire started selling online in September and in just 12 weeks, the state posted over $1.3 million in net gaming revenue from online sales alone.

"The landscape has shifted and technology has transformed every aspect of our lives," said Goldberg. "I am confident that our Lottery will continue to maximize its performance, maintain current revenues, and meet the need for unrestricted local aid — but all of us as partners must take the next steps together."

Goldberg said the next step is to allow the Lottery to go online to cater to the new and younger market which is used to doing everything online. "We need to provide the Lottery with the tools and resources necessary to win new customers, utilizing digital marketing and providing frictionless transactions through cashless purchasing options."

Goldberg, a former retailer, said she wants to make sure the state protects the retail stores that sell tickets óparticularly convenience store operators, gas stations and quick-marts. "Done right, an online Lottery will help them — directing new customers through their doors," said the treasurer.

"If we want to uphold our commitment to supplying reliable local aid to our cities and towns, we have no choice but to respond proactively to these challenges," said Goldberg.

The opposition is determined to keep the ban on online sales. "It's ridiculous and disgraceful and will undoubtedly be a waste of money for people that don't have the money to waste," said Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives (D-Newburyport). "I'd hope that Massachusetts had ways of raising revenue that didn't exacerbate addictive activities like gambling, but I guess that would require the thoughtful, difficult work of tax reform."

"We believe good state public policy should incentivize our consumers to spend in our economy with our local small businesses," said opponent Jon Hurst, President of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. "Consumers represent 70 percent of the economy and the commonwealth should recognize the importance of impulse buys when spending locally with a brick and mortar employer. To take the traffic away from small businesses will mean lower sales on a variety of consumer products."

In 2016, the Senate approved an amendment that allowed online Lottery sales. However, the measure was never taken up by the House and it died.

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Comments

music*'s avatarmusic*

I believe that when this becomes law the retailers will treat lottery customers with more respect. The players will be cherished. 

  I desire a study of the 11 States which offer online purchases. Find out if I am correct about retailers and their customers.  My educated guess is that the majority of retailers are very grateful for the business that players bring into their stores. 

Yes Nod

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Tough call on this one. I do understand the treasurer's POV by giving the lottery players an alternative method to purchase. Especially the ones I refer to as the *ICEWOMPAA kids. You know the type.. Can't open a can of Soup without an app.

I will offer a bit of opposition to her opinion of " Done right, an online lottery will help them". If I can get something on line, then I do not necessarily go to the store. I do have 2 small rural community stores that I purchase my tickets at. I don't purchase anything else at those stores, not even fuel or beverages or snacks. I am in the minority for that, no doubt. Until the on-line activities can be 100% fullproof when it comes to purchasing lottery tickets, I will be the old fuddy-duddy that drives to the store and physically gets the tickets from the clerk(with an option to purchase the mistake tickets). Just my 2 pennies on the article

 

 

 

 

I Cant Exist With Out My Phone And Apps

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Dec 10, 2018

I believe that when this becomes law the retailers will treat lottery customers with more respect. The players will be cherished. 

  I desire a study of the 11 States which offer online purchases. Find out if I am correct about retailers and their customers.  My educated guess is that the majority of retailers are very grateful for the business that players bring into their stores. 

Yes Nod

Music*, I can only vouch for what I've seen in KY.  I love the convenience of clicking and buying @ home, but I still like to go with big blue for in store purchases.

 

KY does not allow on-line purchasing of Pick 3 & Pick 4 so the retailer doesn't get cut out.

I still root for my home state of Massachusetts that they get on-line purchases. Millenials will demand it otherwise they see sales drop.

In KY and noticed in GA that you can buy MM and or PB what looks like gift cards @ one grocery chain only.  Won't be doing this, seems like a lot of work to me.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Bleudog101,  I figure that the Grocery stores want the extra customers with the gift cards. 

 Here in CA gift cards do not expire. State Law ensures that. 

 The elderly and shut-ins will love online lottery purchases. Convenience rules.

Dance

bobby623's avatarbobby623

I think some lottery official should stress that on-line sales are limited to the 'draw' games, not the scratch tickets.
Here in my part of West Texas, you can always spot several folks sitting in their vehicles scratching away, sometimes without closing the door!
Texas lottery officials are always bragging about multi-million dollar monthly sales driven by scratch tickets.
Of course, billion-dollar jackpot games attract everyone with a couple of dollars in their pocket.
The clerks at the store where I buy my tickets didn't know that the Texas Cash 5/37 had been changed to 5/35 until I told them.
Yes, the convenience store operators will complain about losing the draw sales, but, I don't think we have an obligation to ensure their profit margins.
But, I doubt there are any Texas politicians with the courage to vote for on-line sales.

oate's avataroate

"I'd hope that Massachusetts had ways of raising revenue that didn't exacerbate addictive activities like gambling, but I guess that would require the thoughtful, difficult work of tax reform."

Sad but true! When a state starts running out of money the first thing it does is put pressure on its lottery officials to increase sales, rather than find ways to reduce wasteful gov't spending. I hope we don't get to the point where playing the lottery is mandatory, LOL.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Dec 10, 2018

Music*, I can only vouch for what I've seen in KY.  I love the convenience of clicking and buying @ home, but I still like to go with big blue for in store purchases.

 

KY does not allow on-line purchasing of Pick 3 & Pick 4 so the retailer doesn't get cut out.

I still root for my home state of Massachusetts that they get on-line purchases. Millenials will demand it otherwise they see sales drop.

In KY and noticed in GA that you can buy MM and or PB what looks like gift cards @ one grocery chain only.  Won't be doing this, seems like a lot of work to me.

I'm not exactly sure what the national average is, but based on the KY Lottery financial reports I saw, scratch-off sales are around 64% of lottery revenue. So at best, KY Online sales could only effect retailer's MM, PB, Lucky for Life, and Cash Ball 225 sales. As for Keno, players don't want to chance being shut out while a convenient store clerk is gabbing with someone or can't insert a play slip or cash and replay tickets. There are a couple places that are set up for Keno play, but none are opened from 5 AM to 2 AM. 

Last month someone from Paris, KY won the Cash Ball 225 jackpot playing Online so it's not like it's regular lottery tickets only. At the end of the day, Online lotteries are just another way to play the same games.

Tucker Black's avatarTucker Black

Online gambling is a horrible idea. It doesn't matter what it is... the state lottery, sports betting, video poker, blackjack, anything... horrible idea, no one should never do it.

Gambling can be addictive enough as it is. I don't have a problem with gambling in general. I do it myself all the time. But when you make it so convenient that you can gamble with your "smart"phone (which actually makes you stupid; recent news on that one), this is very bad. Stupid and addictive people will gamble away all the money they have on their "smart"phones and then end up homeless.

We already have more than enough homeless as it is; do we need to create more? This is really getting ridiculous.

If you want to play the lottery, fine, go the to store and buy a lottery ticket. It's not that hard!

music*'s avatarmusic*

  Calling all Lottery Post Members:  Let us win this week!  Place your State on the map!

Party

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Dec 10, 2018

I'm not exactly sure what the national average is, but based on the KY Lottery financial reports I saw, scratch-off sales are around 64% of lottery revenue. So at best, KY Online sales could only effect retailer's MM, PB, Lucky for Life, and Cash Ball 225 sales. As for Keno, players don't want to chance being shut out while a convenient store clerk is gabbing with someone or can't insert a play slip or cash and replay tickets. There are a couple places that are set up for Keno play, but none are opened from 5 AM to 2 AM. 

Last month someone from Paris, KY won the Cash Ball 225 jackpot playing Online so it's not like it's regular lottery tickets only. At the end of the day, Online lotteries are just another way to play the same games.

Stack47:  You can play Keno on-line.  Don't you mean closed 0200-0500?  IDK if you can do Keno during those times or not, and don't like the game.  Also don't forget their version of scratch tickets are available on-line too!

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Dec 11, 2018

Stack47:  You can play Keno on-line.  Don't you mean closed 0200-0500?  IDK if you can do Keno during those times or not, and don't like the game.  Also don't forget their version of scratch tickets are available on-line too!

I was talking about a couple places set up for Keno play that are not opened 21 hours a day. Don't know how much time the average Keno players spends playing, but it's much easier playing Online. It takes a couple days to collect your winnings but it's deposted directly into you bank account.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Dec 11, 2018

I was talking about a couple places set up for Keno play that are not opened 21 hours a day. Don't know how much time the average Keno players spends playing, but it's much easier playing Online. It takes a couple days to collect your winnings but it's deposted directly into you bank account.

The few winnings I had on Keno, which were small, the winnings were directly added to my KY lottery account, not my checking account.  They don't even have my account #.   Did you notice those new MM/PB gift card looking things @ Kroger?  They get paid to you via Paypal.  Too much work on my part so not even going to attempt it even though right now they have a BOGO sale going on.

Genome

Massachusetts resident here. Even if they did do start doing online sales, I would probably still go to the store to buy the draw tickets with cash. Its just what I am used to and I like having the actual ticket in my hand. I live in a city with a lot of places within walking distance of my house. I might buy online tickets if it was snowing or raining hard out though.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Tucker Black on Dec 11, 2018

Online gambling is a horrible idea. It doesn't matter what it is... the state lottery, sports betting, video poker, blackjack, anything... horrible idea, no one should never do it.

Gambling can be addictive enough as it is. I don't have a problem with gambling in general. I do it myself all the time. But when you make it so convenient that you can gamble with your "smart"phone (which actually makes you stupid; recent news on that one), this is very bad. Stupid and addictive people will gamble away all the money they have on their "smart"phones and then end up homeless.

We already have more than enough homeless as it is; do we need to create more? This is really getting ridiculous.

If you want to play the lottery, fine, go the to store and buy a lottery ticket. It's not that hard!

Online gambling started almost 30 years ago and is played all over the world. In 2006 Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act that basically prevented elderly U.S. residence from playing penny bingo and chatting with others Online. But it wasn't until 2011 when the Feds shut down Internet Poker. As of today states control Online gambling within their borders. 

Some states legislated legal Online casino type gambling, poker, and some added Online lottery play. Is there a real difference between people sitting in their cars scratching tickets and people doing the same thing on their computers?

"Gambling can be addictive enough as it is."

Is that why the population of metro Las Vegas rose over 60% from 2000 to 2017?

"Stupid and addictive people will gamble away all the money they have on their "smart"phones and then end up homeless."

IMO, I'm more concerned with stupid people driving cars and carrying guns than stupid people losing all their money gambling whether it's at casinos, at convenient stores counters in store parking lots or on their PC.

The repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment is great example of what happens when the majority decides what they want.

"If you want to play the lottery, fine, go the to store and buy a lottery ticket. It's not that hard!"

How did telling people "if you want to drink, don't drive" work out?

Online Lottery is just another way to play most of the same lottery games people are already playing whether it's in a store or from a vending machine.

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