Lottery follies, part 1
The first in an occasional series of comments about the actual contents of the lottery bill passed by our state legislature last month:
What kind of games will our lottery include?
"Games may include instant lotteries, online games, games played on computer terminals or other devices, and other games traditional to a lottery or that have been conducted by any other state government-operated lottery."
Online games? Watch out if your teenage kid gets hold of your credit card.
Computer terminals or other devices? That would have allowed video poker games, EXCEPT that a separate provision in the budget bill specifically prohibits video gaming machines.
But that issue apparently has not been put to rest yet, according to an article in Sunday's Charlotte Observer.
Some states, including West Virginia, make more money from video poker than from traditional lottery tickets. It stands to reason that, sooner or later, North Carolina will incorporate video gaming into its lottery.
You can read the entire lottery bill here.
We have an editorial on the lottery nuts and bolts in the works.
Comments (2)
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Doug:
I am still saddened that the state chose to begin a lottery. Having lived in Va. for two years (2000-02) I saw first hand the lines of poor folks with not a dime to spare standing there, day after day, spending their money on a pipe dream. At the time, I still smoked cigarettes, and it is one of the reasons I finally quit, because I would pop in for a pack and have to stand in line for 10 minutes behind the same sad woman looking for salvation in a convenience store.
That being said, Va. teachers and school board members still complained at that time about being the most underfunded school system in the country.
My main point though, is about the video poker. If we legitimize video poker, what does that say to all the sheriffs and ALE agents who for the last five years have been spending precious resources combatting illegal video poker, rounding them up via raids and undercover operations?
What a waste of time and money.
I believe the lottery is a bad idea and will bear no net gain of prosperity for the people of this state during its tenure.
Jeff
Posted on September 14, 2005 4:05 PM
Jeff,
Thanks for your comments. You're right on the mark, especially about the irony of the state taking over a business that sheriffs have long tried to shut down as a public nuisance.
Having lived in High Point for a while, I'm well aware of the history of illegal lottery games in the Trinity area. That was a numbers racket. Soon it's going to be a government enterprise.
The worst is, we still don't know what we're really getting. I'll have more tomorrow on what's in nuts and bolts of the lottery bill -- and, more importantly, what's left to someone's interpretation.
Posted on September 14, 2005 4:17 PM