Legislation before Kentucky lawmakers could impact the Kentucky Lottery's plan to offer online electronic ticket sales this fall. A measure prohibiting the use of credit cards for such transactions cleared a senate committee Thursday. Bill Sponsor Jimmy Higdon says the law also calls for establishing a pre-paid card program. "If you're gonna buy that internet product, you first have to buy a pre-paid card from a lottery retailer,” said Higdon. “That's simply to protect the retailers from competition of the internet."
Kentucky Lottery President Arch Gleason spoke against the bill. He told committee members there would likely be a $1-$200 per day limitation placed on credit card use. He says prohibition of credit cards would cut four year estimated gains from $27 million to about $16 million.
Gleason says implementing limits on credit card use are, in some ways, more effective than face to face tactics. "We do have responsible play information in every location, but that's left to the individual and retailers are typically not gonna say ‘you're playing too much’. Some of them may, but it's a tough place for them to go," said Gleason.
The bill passed out of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee by a 6-3 vote and now heads to the full senate.?
