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Florida lottery exploring ticket sales at ATMs

The lottery is also looking at the possibility of propping up lagging sales by adding Internet and gas pump purchases.

July 31, 2015

Florida Lottery sales are flagging. And lottery officials are looking to ATMs, gas pumps and the Internet to reenergize them.

According to a report by the Tallahassee Democrat, the lottery wants bidders for its $300 million gaming contract to prove that they have the ability to implement the additional sales channels.

However, the idea has run into solid opposition from Gov. Rick Scott and some Florida lawmakers who do not want to see gambling expanded in the state — some on moral grounds, others because they think the state government should not be competing with Seminole tribe-run casinos. 

The report said that the lottery does not have plans currently to add ticket sales channels, but wants to be able to consider "the full spectrum of available technology being utilized in other states that sell lottery products."

The nearly 30-year old Florida Lottery is at a critical juncture with the ticketed games that include Powerball, Lotto and Mega Millions. While scratch-off ticket sales have continued to surge, the forecasts are relatively flat for the other types of lottery games.

The state's current contract with lottery machine operator Gtech has been extended March 2017, unless a new provider is selected before that time.