Lottery Director Discusses Lagging Revenue

Arkansas Lottery

According to an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, ticket sales at the Arkansas Lottery are down for the third month in a row.

The article states, “Among other things, lottery officials blamed high gasoline prices, high temperatures and high electricity bills for the dip in sales in July and August.” As others have pointed out before, if people are unable to purchase lottery tickets because they need the money to pay for basic necessities–like the utility bill, gasoline, and so on–it’s probably a good indicator that many of the lottery’s players are the people who can actually least afford to gamble and lose on lottery tickets.

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Proposal to Change Lottery Scholarships Draws Flak

2 CommentsArkansas Lottery,

A proposal to change lottery scholarship amounts drew a lot of flak yesterday.

Senator Johnny Key (R-Mountain Home) proposed a graduated scholarship model to make up for a shortfall in funding.

Under his proposal, college freshman would be eligible for $2,000 in lottery scholarship money; sophomores, $3,000; juniors, $4,000; and seniors, $5,000.

The proposal is driven by insufficient funding from the Arkansas Lottery coupled with the fact that 40% of college freshman who received lottery scholarships were unable to keep those scholarships the following year—they either left college or were unable to meet the minimum GPA and other requirements to keep their scholarships. Sen. Key’s proposal would reward students who meet those requirements and stay in school.

The proposal is drawing intense flak from people like former Lt. Governor Bill Halter, however, who spearheaded the effort to institute the lottery. According to an AP story, Halter told a legislative committee yesterday, “This is in no way what was described to Arkansas voters.”

Now, that is true: The Arkansas Lottery is nothing like what the people of Arkansas were promised. For instance… (more…)

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