What price human destruction?

In their Race to the Bottom, Illinois lawmakers fail to consider the costs of their regressive tax policy that has already diminished the state.

Feeling lucky? Log on to lottery, state says
Illinois lottery betting on extra $100 million annually through new online sales
By John Byrne, Chicago Tribune reporter
March 25, 2012

The Illinois Lottery is breaking new ground Sunday with the start of online ticket sales, a first by a U.S. state.

Illinois residents 18 and older will be able to use their computers or phones to buy tickets for Mega Millions and Lotto games at the lottery website, illinoislottery, starting at 7 a.m.

On Saturday, Michael Jones, Illinois Lottery superintendent, said he sees Internet sales as a way to boost overall ticket purchases, and from that perspective the timing of the launch couldn't be better.

The Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday stands at $356,000,000, exactly the kind of outsize payday that attracts those who don't play regularly.

Expansion to the Internet could bring in more than $100 million per year, according to state estimates, money that would go toward roads and other infrastructure improvements.

Anti-gambling groups have raised concerns that putting lottery purchases at people's fingertips around the clock will drive up gambling addiction.

Convenience store owners also have reservations. David Vite, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said convenience stores get up to 40 percent of their proceeds from the 5 percent commission they earn from lottery ticket sales. [What does this say about our skewed values?] Some studies have shown walk-in sales plummeted in European countries where online lottery sales are available, he said.

"We want a study of the impact as quickly as possible," Vite said. "With a Mega Millions jackpot this high, our members normally will see lines out the door. We want to see what happens this weekend and get some idea of the trend quickly thereafter."

Jones dismissed concerns.

He argued that most gamblers aren't willing to wait several days to find out if they've won and, therefore, are less likely to buy lottery tickets.

Jones predicted the Internet sales will ultimately help convenience stores by broadening the pool of ticket buyers.

"Then they'll walk into a convenience store to make a purchase and buy a lottery ticket while they're in there because they have that comfort level after making purchases online," he said.

Lawmakers in Springfield passed a road construction bill in 2009 that proposed using proceeds from Internet lottery sales to help pay for borrowing. The U.S. Justice Department finally approved that effort in December, ruling that the state's plan is legal because it doesn't involve betting on sports.