The Senate Commerce and Energy Committee is advancing a bill raising the minimum age to purchase a lottery ticket to 21 years old.
Sen. Michael Rohl is the bill’s prime sponsor. He said the bill keeps the state’s gambling laws uniform across video lottery and scratch-off games.
“At 18, I could buy a $30 lotto ticket, but I couldn’t push a button. It doesn’t seem very consistent. I think it’s really important in law, no matter which side of the argument on whether you support gambling or don’t support gambling, I actually think it’s your money you should make your own choices, but law itself should be consistent and I don’t believe it currently is consistent,” Roehl said.
Norman Lingle is the Executive Chair of the South Dakota Lottery. He said the South Dakota Lottery is opposing the bill due to potential financial pitfalls.
“It will have an impact to the general fund. One-hundred percent of the net proceeds from the sale of instant tickets goes to the general fund. Seventy percent of our draw games net proceeds go to the general fund, so it will have an impact on the general fund. In addition, it will impact our partner retails out there. They receive a commission for selling, a 5% selling commission. [That’s] along with a 1% cashing commission,” Lingle said.
Lingle said the bill would result in immediate financial loss of over $1 million for reprinting all the games that would require an age change. He said that’s only the beginning of the financial concerns.
SB 203 passes committee 5-3 and heads to the Senate floor. Those voting yes said consistency in the law is important.
