We Beat the Arkansas Lottery – For Now

Arkansas Lottery,

Early this morning the state legislature did what no one has done in the past five years: They told the Arkansas Lottery “No.”

The Lottery Commission has gotten its way on virtually every major decision since the spring of 2009. Many lawmakers have been reluctant to regulate the Lottery, because they were all assured the best way to make the Lottery successful was to give the Lottery Commission as much leeway as possible.

All that changed when Lottery Commissioners openly defied the will of the legislators by voting to roll out lottery “monitor games” this fall. These games—which operate like Keno, a popular casino game, and bingo—would be installed and played across the state.

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Arkansas Lottery Ready to Say ‘Uncle’?

Arkansas Lottery

Something historic is happening at the Arkansas Legislature this week.

It isn’t just that the legislature is meeting under a special session–although that is rare.

It isn’t just that the legislature is meeting in the Old State House for the first time in more than a century–although that is historic also.

No, this special session of the Arkansas Legislature is historic for those reasons and one more: It marks the first time since 2009 that lawmakers are prepared to tell the Arkansas Lottery Commission “No.”

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Call Arkansas Lawmakers to Ban Video Lottery by 5 p.m. Today

Arkansas Lottery, ,

CrowdA special session of the Arkansas Legislature will be held Monday and Tuesday of this week.

Lawmakers will vote on a bill that would keep the Arkansas Lottery from installing video lottery games in businesses around the state. This bill is being blocked by a few lawmakers on the House Rules Committee. Please call the members of the House Rules Committee by 8 p.m. Monday. Ask each member to vote for a law to ban video lottery games.

Below is a list of every member of the House Rules Committee and their phone numbers. Most of these numbers are cell phones, so you can Text as well.

Representative’s Name and Phone Number:

Chair: Stephanie Malone – 479-629-5119
Vice-Chair: Andy Davis – 501-837-5109
Tommy Thompson – 501-208-2007
Darrin Williams – 501-952-6733
John Edwards – 501-680-5248
James McLean – 870-613-0617
Deborah Ferguson – 901-486-8786
Ann Clemmer – 501-912-4892
John Vines – 501-624-1252
Kelley Linck – 870-404-2741
Andrea Lea – 479-967-4922
Duncan Baird – 479-263-9449
John Burris – 870-688-6181
Mary Broadway – 870-239-1747
Jeremy Gillam – 501-940-5757

The Lottery Commission has announced plans to allow businesses to install TV monitors where patrons could gamble on Keno and other games every few minutes. Currently the games could run 24 hours a day, and there is no limit on how much a person could wager and lose.

The Arkansas Lottery Commission will install these video gambling devices in communities across the state unless the Arkansas Legislature passes a law to prevent it. Companies that make money from the lottery are lobbying hard to keep lawmakers on the House Rules Committee from allowing a vote on this important law. Your call is vital to offset these powerful moneyed gambling interests. Please call the members of the House Rules Committee today, and ask them to vote for a law to ban video lottery games.

For more information, contact Jerry Cox at Family Council: 501-375-7000.

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