Massachusetts Lottery Tickets From Your Phone and Laptop?

The Massachusetts Legislature is looking for new ways to separate you from your money and is considering putting the state's highly successful lottery online as a way to do just that.

Lawmakers, who crave money like a vampire craves blood, are considering an online lottery and think that's the ticket to attracting younger tech savvy players.  The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure on Wednesday reported favorably on a bill that would allow consumers to play the lottery online or via a phone app.  While brick and mortar lottery agents fear the move would savage their businesses, lottery officials say it needs online gaming to allow it to continue to return money to communities in the form of local aid.

The bill requires all gamers to be at least 18 years old and in Massachusetts at the time of purchase.  Winnings totaling more than 200 dollars would have to be claimed in person and the winner has to be clear of any outstanding child or spousal support payments or back taxes.  ATM and debit cards could not be used to purchase lottery products and maximum weekly and monthly limits would be set for how much gamers can invest in the lottery.

I am a libertarian at heart so I don't really care if lottery games are made available online. I'm not much of a gambler anyway.  I just find it sweet that the Commonwealth would go through all of this just to make it easier for us to buy lottery products.  How considerate. Amazing though how these folks just keep coming up with ideas for taking our money and how willing we are to give it to them.

Barry Richard