Iowa lottery needs online ticket sales

Iowa state lottery director Terry Rich made a strong case for online ticket sales to the state House Government Oversight Committee late last week, telling lawmakers that the enterprise must adapt to “…player expectations for convenience and use of technology” or face the consequences of declining business.

The lottery must use channels and technologies such as mobile services that the younger demographics now dominating sales regarded as essential, he said.

He also pointed to online services launched by other states, observing that fears that these would impact convenience store retail ticket sellers had not materialised.

Rich emphasised that the lottery would not initiate any online project without the approval of the legislature and relevant state authorities (probably with one eye on the enmity that has developed between Minnesota lawmakers and their state lottery director, resulting in a situation likely to derail online activity in that state – see previous reports).

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