After deliberating since May, the North Dakota lottery's administrator is allowing close family members of a lottery advisory board to buy tickets themselves.
The board's five members, which include three legislators and two former lawmakers, still may not play the lottery, director Chuck Keller said. Lottery employees also may not buy tickets.
Keller's decision affects commission members' spouses and children who are at least 18 years old - the minimum age for buying a ticket - and living at home.
Rep. RaeAnn Kelsch, R-Mandan, the chairwoman of the advisory board, asked Keller in May to lift a state restriction that prohibits board members' immediate family members from buying tickets, or being paid prizes. North Dakota law gives Keller authority to grant the waiver.
Keller did not agree until earlier this month, when he notified board members in time for commissioners' family members to buy a chance at a $214 million Powerball drawing. It was won by a group of printing company workers in Delaware.
He was not pressured by his boss, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, or the commission members, Keller said.
"I'm very cautious, very conservative," he said. "It was something I had to feel comfortable with myself."
Kelsch and other commission members said they all agreed to make the request.
"My husband doesn't play anyway," said commission member Darlene Watne, a former Republican state senator from Minot. "It doesn't make any difference to me ... As long as we (commission members) are not playing, that is the ultimate main thing."
The commission meets at least four times a year. Its members helped draft the game's administrative rules, pick ticket sellers and develop the lottery's logo and marketing campaign.
They have no decision-making authority, although Keller and Stenehjem frequently adopt their recommendations.
Keller said his decision to allow close family members of lottery commissioners to play came down to the fact that commission members cannot influence lottery drawings. They also do not have inside information, he said.
"The public needs to know that it is impossible for any person to influence the results of a draw. But should a commissioner's family member win, what would be the public's perception of the lottery?" Keller said. "That was the issue I had to resolve in my own mind."
Kelsch said her two sons, who are college students aged 19 and 18, are interested in buying tickets. Her husband Tom, a Mandan attorney, does not want to play, Kelsch said.
"When I told Tom about it, he just kind of looked at me and said, 'Like I'm going to buy a lottery ticket?'" Kelsch said. "It was not something he was interested in."
ok. there's a small problem. family members of lottery employees should NOT be allowed to play. granted they only offer MUSL games, but when they decide to become a REAL lottery, then it would be too easy to manipulate drawings for the benefit of the employees' family members.
the decision may be the result of that fact that north dakota doesn't have a REAL lottery yet. once they start their OWN games, i think that decision will change, and they will have to start their own in-state games because dventually they will understand why their players still go out of state to play certain games.
ok. there's a small problem. family members of lottery employees should NOT be allowed to play. granted they only offer MUSL games, but when they decide to become a REAL lottery, then it would be too easy to manipulate drawings for the benefit of the employees' family members.
A big question mark.
the decision may be the result of that fact that north dakota doesn't have a REAL lottery yet. once they start their OWN games, i think that decision will change, and they will have to start their own in-state games because dventually they will understand why their players still go out of state to play certain games.
At least North Dakota has Hot Lotto and Powerball.