Florida lawmakers move to allow lottery sales as gas pumps, ATMs

Nov 18, 2015, 9:12 am (20 comments)

Florida Lottery

Florida legislators are moving forward with a bill that would allow lottery tickets to be sold anywhere you can swipe a credit card, including gas pumps and ATMs.

"Under this bill, you could get your Powerball, Mega Millions and Florida Lotto tickets at the gas pump," said the bill's sponsor, State Rep. Holly Raschein (R-Key Largo). "It will generate new money for education without expenditure of taxpayer dollars."

As expected, any attempted change in lottery laws brings out the anti-gambling forces. According to Brian Kongsvik of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, there is a cost in allowing lotto tickets to be bought on credit cards.

"Now they can't avoid it," he said. "Now those people who were able to pay at the pump and never go into the store to be tempted, it's right there."

To him, the state would be shoving an addiction in people's faces.

"They get high off gambling," he said. "The brain activity is the same as if they are high on cocaine."

The council takes 6,000 calls for gambling addiction help a year.

"There is no end to the damage this addiction can cause people," Kongsvik said.

On Tuesday, a House business committee moved the bill forward.

"For the responsible consumer, it's about convenience," said State Rep. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg). "For the irresponsible consumer, they're going to be irresponsible anyway."

Raschein said she's open to considering limits on how often and how much money could be spent from the same credit card, as well as how clerks would monitor the age of those buying lottery tickets by cards.

"With technology, I believe the possibilities are endless," she said. "In other states, the technology does exist."

In Florida, the three biggest gambling addictions that lead people to get help are cards, casino slots, and the lottery.

October was the biggest month in lotto history, with $471 million in tickets sold, with a quarter of that going to the state education fund.

Fox 13, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Say it isn't so.

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Buying lottery tickets on credit cards? Hmmm... They can argue convenience and increased sales all day , I smell disaster.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

I don't agree with this idea. You will get many folks who will simply max out their credit cards chasing the big dream payout.  There are enough people who already have gambling issues and this will magnify it even more.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Nov 18, 2015

I don't agree with this idea. You will get many folks who will simply max out their credit cards chasing the big dream payout.  There are enough people who already have gambling issues and this will magnify it even more.

That's almost exactly the same thing the anti-lottery and anti-casino gambling people said in every state legislating it. There still are businesses that don't accept debit/credit cards as payment, but their parking lots are virtually empty. Should a business selling lottery tickets remove their ATM machines to prevent problem gamblers withdrawing THEIR OWN MONEY to purchase lottery tickets?

An old fashioned trade off is the reason we have lotteries; you don't tell us how to spend our money and we won't tell you how to spend your money.

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Cash? Yes. Debit cards that withdraws directly from your account? Yes. Credit cards? Hell no. See the difference? Credit cards is not hard earned money.

Stack47

The Governor of Texas told their lottery director to back off expanding their lottery, NJ says no home delivery and the Wyoming legislators said no to Keno while Florida is making it easier to buy tickets. The Ohio Lottery has terminals in beer, wine, smokes, and snacks drive-thrus where players don't get out of their car.

"For the responsible consumer, it's about convenience," said State Rep. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg). "For the irresponsible consumer, they're going to be irresponsible anyway."

Let's hope the anti-gambling people don't join forces anti-obesity people; they will stop the fast food businesses from taking debit/credit cards and make they them close their drive-thru windows.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Nov 18, 2015

The Governor of Texas told their lottery director to back off expanding their lottery, NJ says no home delivery and the Wyoming legislators said no to Keno while Florida is making it easier to buy tickets. The Ohio Lottery has terminals in beer, wine, smokes, and snacks drive-thrus where players don't get out of their car.

"For the responsible consumer, it's about convenience," said State Rep. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg). "For the irresponsible consumer, they're going to be irresponsible anyway."

Let's hope the anti-gambling people don't join forces anti-obesity people; they will stop the fast food businesses from taking debit/credit cards and make they them close their drive-thru windows.

Nice post, agreed on all counts.  I Agree!

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

And here in Oklahoma OLC doesn't allow debit card purchases for lottery tickets Bang Head

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Nov 18, 2015

That's almost exactly the same thing the anti-lottery and anti-casino gambling people said in every state legislating it. There still are businesses that don't accept debit/credit cards as payment, but their parking lots are virtually empty. Should a business selling lottery tickets remove their ATM machines to prevent problem gamblers withdrawing THEIR OWN MONEY to purchase lottery tickets?

An old fashioned trade off is the reason we have lotteries; you don't tell us how to spend our money and we won't tell you how to spend your money.

I see no issues with people using THEIR OWN MONEY but using a credit card is NOT their own money and it's simply borrowed funds. I know folks who have no business playing the lottery with their own money especially when it takes precedent over the needs of their family. Going into debt to chase a dream is a recipe for disaster.

I wouldn't advocate anyone borrowing money to gamble at the casino or play with the stock market but that is their choice.

Ann*95's avatarAnn*95

Quote: Originally posted by Original Bey on Nov 18, 2015

Cash? Yes. Debit cards that withdraws directly from your account? Yes. Credit cards? Hell no. See the difference? Credit cards is not hard earned money.

I totally agree.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Nov 18, 2015

I see no issues with people using THEIR OWN MONEY but using a credit card is NOT their own money and it's simply borrowed funds. I know folks who have no business playing the lottery with their own money especially when it takes precedent over the needs of their family. Going into debt to chase a dream is a recipe for disaster.

I wouldn't advocate anyone borrowing money to gamble at the casino or play with the stock market but that is their choice.

Using your logic, anyone with a credit card balance is indirectly using borrowed funds when they purchase anything. I have no restrictions on how I use my cards and maybe you should get one with no restrictions too.

"I know folks who have no business playing the lottery with their own money especially when it takes precedent over the needs of their family."

Nobody gave me the authority to decide who should and should not play lottery games, bet on horse or dog races, play slot machines, or any other form of gambling. And again using your logic, aren't you condoning gambling just by being an LP member?

Do you advocate using a credit card to pay for a hotel/motel room, car rental, or several other ordinary things that makes life much easier when using a card?

Jamie12

Unless they can take out how much was spent via credit card use before they give you the money like they do past taxes and child support, I say no to using borrowed money to purchase lottery tickets. Using your own money is ok but with a credit card you are using other peoples money. Bad idea unless the lottery commission takes out your credit card debt or you enter an agreement with the credit card companies to share your winnings with them. As for the people that say this will magnify gambling problem, there is temptation EVERYWHERE. At some point it becomes a matter of self control. Not to say all people with gambling problems have no self control..it's called an addiction for a reason

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

what if the  machine spits out a blank ticket? ir illegible? will the purce be recoded as  a possession of the card holder. so it can be lost or misprinted and the numbers are still in the game? 
but i agree, debit cards ok credit nope.  i used to use my CC here and buy monthly paying off the cArd ea month. but that was because the state that ran the website allowed credit card purchases online. now i just use a debit card. but i think credit is still available via online here. not at  petrol pumps thi

Tialuvslotto's avatarTialuvslotto

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Nov 18, 2015

I don't agree with this idea. You will get many folks who will simply max out their credit cards chasing the big dream payout.  There are enough people who already have gambling issues and this will magnify it even more.

If it gets to be a problem for the Credit Card companies you can bet the Banking lobby will shut it down real quick!  But we are quickly moving toward a cashless society and this type of change will be coming soon to other areas, IMHO.

Subscribe to this news story