Officials at the Mississippi Lottery recently announced scratch-off tickets could go on sale December 1. Lottery Board Vice Chairman Gerard Gibert said, “That’s the target date. It could be a little before or a little after. We haven’t selected the vendors yet. But the plan is to have scratch-offs in as many retailers as possible by December 1.”
He added ticket sales for regular state lottery drawings could begin in the first quarter of 2020 and multi-state tickets for games like Powerball could be available in the second quarter. Gibert added the lottery board has received responses to requests for proposals for vendors and is working with a software company to develop an application process for retailers.
Mississippi had been one of six states without a lottery, but lawmakers in special session last summer approved a state lottery to generate funds for transportation infrastructure. Analysts said the lottery will net $40 million for the state in the first year, then up to $80 million annually; revenue above that would go to public education.
