MANCHESTER, N.H. — The New Hampshire Lottery is contemplating a lawsuit after the U.S. Justice Department deemed online lottery sales illegal.
The New Hampshire Lottery says it had the most successful launch of internet lottery sales in the country last year. Now, it says the move by the Justice Department could cost the state millions in school funding.
"We started selling on the internet scratch tickets, Powerball and Mega Millions," said Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery. "It's been a very successful program."
The lottery says revenue from online sales could reach $6 million next fiscal year as more people give it a try.
But the Justice Department isn't all in, reversing its 2011 opinion that said only interstate sports betting is in violation of the Federal Wire Act.
"We spent a lot of time and energy doing the right thing, doing it the right way that had been set out years prior," McIntyre said. "And then to have this thing happen out of the blue is remarkable in a negative way."
Several state lotteries are asking the acting attorney general to overrule the opinion. They're urging the federal government not to take any action and instead allow states to govern their own lotteries.
Online sales continue in New Hampshire as the issue is debated.
More State's rights and less Federal power. I agree with Charlie McIntyre.
Amazing what money can buy.
Read elsewhere that casino mogul Sheldon Adelson was behind this move. He donates millions to the repub party.
States that offer this 21st century idea of internet play will no doubt sue the DOJ over this. As many of you LP members know not a fan of that outdated 1961 law.
Bleudog101, I am not a fan of political donations. It leads to corruption. I think we as a nation should try Public financing of elections. Give each candidate a fixed amount of money and see how they spend it.
We trust our elected officials with voting on billions of dollars of our taxes. We should expect more from the candidates.
Corruption attracts the wrong type of person. They leave office with riches while their paycheck was generous but not that amount.
What should happen is that any U.S. Citizen should be allowed to buy tickets from any state over the phone, through the mail or over the internet to force state lotteries to compete.
If that doesn't happen then they should ban single state internet ticket sales.
Allow competition or shut the monopolies down!
Online gambling was headed toward interstate wagering before the ruling, but this JD decision is aimed directly at Online lottery wagering within state borders.
"U.S. Citizen should be allowed to buy tickets from any state over the phone"
It's legal for anyone of age to purchase lottery tickets within that state's borders, but apparently "big brother" believes they know what's best for us and want to dictate and/or restrict how we spend our money.
Oh yeah, 96 miles from me Rowan County, KY. Good old Kim Davis, the sanctity of marriage since she was married four times. So glad that repub Bevin making her pay which she should.
MAGA making what Russia said possibly come to fruition: 'We will destroy you from within'. That was in the 50's.
Yep, this is all about helping Adelson protect his casino interests to ensure his continued $upport of the administration, and maybe a smidgen about money laundering concerns, but probably not. It's not about pandering to anti-gambling types.
Please stop with the politics. Thanks.