The Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies of the Massachusetts legislature will begin holding hearings this week on bills relating to horse racing, keno and the lottery.
The bills include one proposed by State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg that would allow the lottery to sell tickets online.
Lawmakers have questions regarding what kinds of games will be allowed, and how to verify that those purchasing the tickets are over 18 years old. Also to be addressed is how those who want to voluntarily exclude themselves from playing can do so.
Goldberg has argued for several years that if the lottery wants to remain competitive with state casinos that it needs to appeal to the younger generation that uses mobile platforms for many of its activities and purchases.
In Indiana, the Hoosier Lottery is considering adding online games, including Powerball, Mega Millions and instant games.
IGT Indiana, which runs the state lottery, said it will study the technology, marketing and capital investment needed to ad online lottery play. The company will present an action plan to the Hoosier Lottery Commission in 2020, which could enable online sales without legislative authorization, the Indiana Business Journal reported.
Most neighboring states with the exception of Ohio already allow online sales, but Hoosier Lottery spokesman Dennis Rosebrough said officials can’t consider adding online sales without more information. “Given where we are at this point,” he said, “any discussion would be purely speculative.”
