Fantasy sports and other online games for Massachusetts lottery?

According to the Boston Herald, the Massachusetts State Lottery is hoping to add fantasy sports and other online games in a drive to remain competitive with land and online casinos.

Lottery executive director Michael Sweeney told the newspaper Wednesday: “I have a business that is not allowed to be online and can only accept cash. We need to make sure our products are staying relevant to how consumers engage and purchase products.”

The Herald was following up on a request for online and app-based products published by the state lottery, which revealed that the organisation is exploring ways to potentially offer its existing array of lottery games along with new lottery products (social gaming, daily fantasy sports, new lottery games) through modern digital channels of distribution.

Director Sweeney stressed that any changes would first have to be approved by state lawmakers, but observed that there was already a bill in the legislature that could allow the lottery to offer fantasy sports.

Currently, Massachusetts lottery and scratch card tickets can only be bought for cash, and convenience store ticket retailers get a cut and historically have been against online activity.

“There are a lot of dominoes that need to fall here,” Sweeney said. “No one, including myself, knows what if any – form this would take.”