North Carolina United States
Member #64,580
September 1, 2008
349 Posts
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My local grocery store has a lottery machine where I can buy all my lottery tickets for MM and PB, besides any scratch-offs if I want. However, you must scan your driver's license first.
I've always wanted to be anonymous when I claim, but now I'm wondering if they "keep" that driver license information and if it can get out into the public.
I know it's just to approve my age to buy the tickets, but that doesn't mean they don't keep the information for "research" purposes.... which could get out by an unscruplous employee.
What do you all think?
"Don't be a schmuck, always take the cash." -Coin Toss
Texas United States
Member #55,887
October 23, 2007
17,813 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by dk1421 on Jun 26, 2011
My local grocery store has a lottery machine where I can buy all my lottery tickets for MM and PB, besides any scratch-offs if I want. However, you must scan your driver's license first.
I've always wanted to be anonymous when I claim, but now I'm wondering if they "keep" that driver license information and if it can get out into the public.
I know it's just to approve my age to buy the tickets, but that doesn't mean they don't keep the information for "research" purposes.... which could get out by an unscruplous employee.
What do you all think?
That's tough to say. I'm not sure how they could tie your info with a winning ticket that the machine spits out, but I suppose it's possible. The machine would have to have some sort of hard drive or memory that's pretty large to hold a lot of personal data.
Maybe you should e-mail your lottery commission about this. See what they come up with for an answer.
Canada
Member #68,661
December 27, 2008
260 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by dk1421 on Jun 26, 2011
My local grocery store has a lottery machine where I can buy all my lottery tickets for MM and PB, besides any scratch-offs if I want. However, you must scan your driver's license first.
I've always wanted to be anonymous when I claim, but now I'm wondering if they "keep" that driver license information and if it can get out into the public.
I know it's just to approve my age to buy the tickets, but that doesn't mean they don't keep the information for "research" purposes.... which could get out by an unscruplous employee.
What do you all think?
The lottery vending machine is connected to the state lottery's central computers via a computer network. That is the only way the machine can sell Powerball or Mega Millions tickets. The ticket information has to be recorded in the central computers before the ticket can be sold and dispensed by the machine.
Most states and countries have privacy laws that dictate what personal information can be stored and for how long. I recommend you phone your state lottery office and ask for an answer in writing. The reason you should ask for the answer in writing is to ensure the person you talk to takes the time to get the correct answer. I find that sometimes phone clerks will simply give you the answer you want to hear or the answer they think is correct to get you off the phone.
My guess is the machine is reading your license number and determining your age and not transmitting the information back to the central computers. Some license numbers encode the year of birth as part of the license number. If would take some effort to have modified the central computer programs that control ticket sales to now include personal information. They probably did not go through the cost of making the modifications. But that is only my guess - I still recommend you call them and ask for an answer in writing.
Maryland United States
Member #44,102
July 30, 2006
6,612 Posts Online
Quote: Originally posted by dk1421 on Jun 26, 2011
My local grocery store has a lottery machine where I can buy all my lottery tickets for MM and PB, besides any scratch-offs if I want. However, you must scan your driver's license first.
I've always wanted to be anonymous when I claim, but now I'm wondering if they "keep" that driver license information and if it can get out into the public.
I know it's just to approve my age to buy the tickets, but that doesn't mean they don't keep the information for "research" purposes.... which could get out by an unscruplous employee.
What do you all think?
We have them in MD. and you can buy any game w/o ID. I assume they do that in NC for gambling age requirement.
In MD they don't require ID they probably don't care, it only matters when you cash it.