Minnesota senate votes for compromise on state lottery's online activity

Things can move quickly in the Minnesota legislature when there’s the political will to make things happen; Thursday’s compromise solution on the issue of the state lottery’s online activities was quickly translated into a Senate vote Friday in which 56 vs. 5 senators voted for the compromise, sending the bill on to the House for a final vote.

Our readers will recall that the state lottery’s management angered some politicians by pressing ahead with a successful internet strategy without first obtaining legislative approval. That prompted the miffed politicians to launch a bill seeking to halt the project in its tracks, which passed the Senate but was rejected by the House.

That necessitated representatives and senators from the two legislative bodies coming together Thursday in a conference committee to iron out the differences, leading to a compromise solution in which the sale of online tickets was approved, but other internet games and sales of tickets at gas pumps and ATMs were prohibited.

The House is now expected to vote for the compromise, leading to the implementation of the ban by late October.

Lottery Executive Director Ed Van Petten said that he was disappointed.

“It’s obvious the movement was based on total misinformation, but it is what it is,” Van Petten said. “The Legislature is telling me they don’t want the additional revenue and that’s their choice.”

Sen. Sandy Pappas said the intervention by the legislature would cost the state $11.7 million, but “sends a pretty clear message that the Senate does not want what they consider to be an expansion of online gambling without legislative approval.”

But he added: “There are going to be financial consequences.”