Scholarship Funding Dismal, Prizes High at AR Lottery: February Report

Arkansas Lottery,

Today the Arkansas Lottery released its financial report for the month of February.

The report shows the Arkansas Lottery took in over $40 million last month.

In spite of making more than a million dollars every single day, the Lottery still paid only $7.2 million to scholarships — less than 18 cents out of every dollar the Arkansas Lottery made.

All told, the Lottery is budgeting about 15.6% of its revenue for college scholarships this fiscal year.

However, the Arkansas Lottery continues to budget extraordinary amounts of money for prizes.

In February, the state lottery spent nearly 71% of its revenue on prizes.

For perspective, the typical state lottery spends about 30% of its revenue on education and only about 55% – 65% on prizes.

To put it simply: The Arkansas Lottery spends too much money on prizes and too little on scholarships.

Below is a breakdown of lottery revenue, scholarship budgeting, and prize spending so far this fiscal year.

Scholarship Funding

Month Gross Lottery Revenue Paid to Scholarships % Gross Revenue
July $41,239,173.79 $4,523,930.75 11.0%
August 40,899,086.75 4,942,736.97 12.1%
September 36,202,677.79 6,565,973.32 18.1%
October 38,932,640.23 6,318,099.21 16.2%
November 36,118,641.12 5,947,177.45 16.5%
December 46,134,469.21 6,371,983.49 13.8%
January, 2020 40,802,067.75 8,239,083.77 20.2%
February 40,670,746.71 7,233,556.77 17.8%
Total $320,999,503.35 $50,142,541.73 15.6%

Prize Budget

Month Gross Lottery Revenue Total Prizes % Going to Prizes
July 41,239,173.79 27,395,174.44 66.4%
August 40,899,086.75 27,981,278.90 68.4%
September 36,202,677.79 25,380,100.69 70.1%
October 38,932,640.23 26,836,578.14 68.9%
November 36,118,641.12 24,593,530.95 68.1%
December 46,134,469.21 32,772,295.09 71.0%
January, 2020 40,802,067.75 27,636,240.24 67.7%
February 40,670,746.71 28,772,455.23 70.7%
Total 320,999,503.35 221,367,653.68 69.0%

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Fort Smith City Directors to Review Public Drinking Proposal

Alcohol, Public Drinking, ,

The Fort Smith Board of Directors will study a proposed ordinance that would let the city authorize public drinking during special events at its study session meeting on Tuesday, March 10.

Act 812 of 2019 by Sen. Trent Garner (R – El Dorado) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R – Smackover) lets cities create “entertainment districts” where alcohol can be carried and consumed publicly on streets and sidewalks.

These districts can be permanent or temporary, under Act 812.

The proposed ordinance in Forth Smith would create two semi-permanent public drinking districts in town.

The districts would ordinarily be inactive, but they could be activated during special events with approval from city officials — meaning public drinking could be authorized during festivals and other events in Fort Smith.

As we have said time and again, public drinking is a scourge on the community.

It raises serious concerns about drunk driving and public safety.

Public drinking doesn’t attract new businesses or bolster the economy.

It hurts neighborhoods and families.

That’s why Family Council has put together a free toolkit to help citizens oppose these public drinking districts.

Our toolkit contains talking points, information about problems public drinking has caused in other states, photographs of public drinking districts elsewhere around the country, and other resources you can use to fight public drinking in your community.

Click here to download our free toolkit.

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