Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg has supported the decision to allow the states lottery to be played online in an attempt to connect with a new generation of players.
"The landscape has shifted and technology has transformed every aspect of our lives," said Goldberg.
"I am confident that our Lottery will continue to maximize its performance, maintain current revenues, and meet the need for unrestricted local aid — but all of us as partners must take the next steps together."
With dwindling sales from the $1.035 billion it generated in 2017 to the drop to $997 million in fiscal 2018 Goldberg is now reaching out to online players but like everything else, the world of online lottery sales is not for everyone.
Goldberg is determined to strike a balance between online sales and supporting the retail stores that sell tickets to local people.
"Done right, an online Lottery will help them — directing new customers through their doors."
"If we want to uphold our commitment to supplying reliable local aid to our cities and towns, we have no choice but to respond proactively to these challenges," said Goldberg.
Sales of online lottery tickets have not been greeted with support by everyone though.
Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives who opposes the decision said: It's ridiculous and disgraceful and will undoubtedly be a waste of money for people that don't have the money to waste."
"I'd hope that Massachusetts had ways of raising revenue that didn't exacerbate addictive activities like gambling, but I guess that would require the thoughtful, difficult work of tax reform."
"We believe good state public policy should incentivize our consumers to spend in our economy with our local small businesses," said another opponent Jon Hurst, President of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.
"Consumers represent 70 percent of the economy and the commonwealth should recognize the importance of impulse buys when spending locally with a brick and mortar employer. To take the traffic away from small businesses will mean lower sales on a variety of consumer products."
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