NH Lottery to sell tickets online

Online lottery tickets will soon become a reality in New Hampshire, thanks to a rider in the recently-passed state budget.

The move will allow the NH Lottery Commission to sell scratch tickets through the Internet or a mobile app.

• Users will still have to register in-person at a lottery retailer, such as a convenience store. They’ll need to show proof they are over 18.
• The app and site will set limits for how much users can spend per day, week, and month.
• A voluntary self-exclusion program will let users block themselves from using the app for a certain period of time.

Other states, such as Illinois, Georgia and Minnesota, have already legalized online lottery ticket sales.

The virtual tickets would look similar to paper tickets purchased at gas stations or grocery stories. On the mobile app, users will most likely be able to ‘scratch’ off the tickets using their touchscreen.

Those in favor of online lottery ticket sales argue that by letting people play without driving to the store, they’ll appeal to millennials and increase sales, bringing the state an estimated $13 million in additional revenue over the next two years.

Opponents worry that the app would make gambling too easy, increasing the risk of addiction.

"This is frankly obscene.  This is adding insult to injury, and God forbid you're a pro gambler, this is giving you nirvana,” said Sen. Bette Lasky, who opposed the rider.

Some store owners also oppose the move, saying it will lose then both the revenue they get from paper ticket sales and the additional purchases customers make when coming in to play. 

Do you approve of letting the NH Lottery Commission sell scratch tickets online and through mobile apps?  Share your opinion in the comments below.