Lotto Sale Raises Questions

With the state of Texas looking to sell the lottery for upwards of $28 billion, many are wondering why anyone would want to purchase the lottery for that kind of money unless they are looking to expand gambling to slot machines or table games. The lottery sale could be the catalyst that brings the gambling issue to a head – especially since it has been boiling under the surface for years.

The governor has mentioned that keno, or video slot machines, or even online gaming might be a way to increase the amount of revenue that the lottery brings into the state. He has also said that he is trying to decide, and will decide with the help of the attorney general, whether or not the sale of the lottery and the addition of the slot machines or keno games will need to be constitutional amendments or if the voters will need to decide the lotto’s fate.

The governor would like to see the issues go the way of the amendment, since he feels that he would be able to get a 2/3rd vote of the House and Senate. That in itself is interesting because many feel that the legislature will not approve an amendment to bring in keno or slot machines because they do not want to see an expansion of gambling.

The legislature has said that they will not comment on the sale of the lottery, but they have said that the state must continue to receive the $1 billion annually that they are currently getting that goes toward public education. The state lottery brought in $3.77 billion last year, which is more than they have brought in from the last fourteen years.


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