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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts State Lottery Director is pushing for the Lottery to be available online, now that sports betting is.
Mark Bracken, Interim Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Lottery, went before the State Legislative Committee on Beacon Hill on Thursday to support a bill that would allow the Massachusetts State Lottery to sell products online.
He said the playing field needs to be leveled, now that online sports betting is legal in Massachusetts.
"We've all seen the deluge of advertising by sports betting companies blanketing our airways, sports wagering is projected to generate around $60 million a year, by contract the lottery produced approximately $1.1 billion in revenue for the commonwealth last year," said Bracken.
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He said if the lottery was offered online it could generate an additional $200 million in annual revenue.
"In order for the lottery to continue to meet and exceed its goals we need to operate like any other 21st century company," said Bracken. "We need to make our products online."
Some were opposed to having the lottery available online saying it could negatively impact businesses that sell them. Bracken said that in the dozen states where the lottery is available online, retail sales went up.
WBZ's Carl Stevens has more:
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