It’s only been a few weeks since the Minnesota Lottery began its online instant-gambling program and so far the plan seems to be a success.
But that hasn’t stopped a bill to stop the online games form advancing in the state legislature.
Daily sales of the online scratch cards are reported to about $3,500, even though the lottery has not marketed the new games. But the online scratch cards have brought opposition even though Minnesota has sold lottery tickets online for three years.
A bill to eliminate the sales online has cleared the State and Local Government Committee.
State Senator Rod Skoe, the bill’s sponsor, said the bill is designed to pull back the expansion of lottery offerings from “beyond what was intended.” Critics of the instant games say they can also increase cases of gambling addiction.
Lottery officials say the online program comes with spending limits to prevent addictive behavior and that stopping the games would be premature.
Governor Mark Dayton has not taken a position on the bill as yet.
