CDG Gaming Reports – State senators voted Friday to outlaw the sale of lottery tickets through a Website or at gas-pump terminals, stripping the Minnesota Lottery of high-tech games they already offer.
By a voice vote, senators embraced the ban as an amendment to a separate gambling regulation bill, which passed 55 to 2. The strong vote could put Gov. Mark Dayton in a pinch because he hasn’t declared whether he sides with concerns of legislators or the stance of the lottery director he appointed. A House bill imposing the same curbs advanced through a key committee on Thursday and has the backing of leading legislators of both parties.
Dayton and director Ed Van Petten met privately Wednesday, but the lottery leader wouldn’t discuss their conversation and a spokesman for Dayton wasn’t briefed on their talk.
Van Petten said it’s becoming increasingly clear that the lottery is losing the fight to retain the games.
“You have to be realistic at some point,” Van Petten said in a telephone interview after Friday’s vote. “We’re not going to totally give up. I’d like to find some common ground here.”
Sen. Roger Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes, said an expansion into Internet gambling should have involved greater input from lawmakers at the outset.
“We’re not talking about lemonade stands here, we’re talking about gaming,” Chamberlain said. “Sometimes we need to slow down and think about the impact on people’s lives.”
The lottery has faced bipartisan criticism for moving forward without getting explicit legislative consent. This winter, the lottery launched virtual instant-play tickets to go along with subscription sales of tickets for draw games like Powerball that have been offered for several years.
