Mass Lottery could go online

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - Is having the lottery at your finger tips a good idea?  State Treasurer Steve Grossman thinks so. 

22News discovers the future of the Massachusetts lottery. 

That future could very well be online.  Playing Keno, buying scratch tickets all on your computer. 
 

Playing the lottery online, buying lottery tickets with a credit card.  State Treasurer Steve Grossman is getting ready to ask lawmakers to test out an internet lottery system.

"If we don't the internet will eventually erode the lottery and its market share and that would be devastating to cities and towns", says Grossman.

Grossman says the lotteries profits; $1 Billion last year, went right back to local cities and towns.  They can use it anyway they want. 

Last December, The Justice Department approved state lotteries selling their products online using credit cards

"The key ingredients are lets look at all the options in view of the Justice Department ruling, let's test out the type of games that might be appropriate whether its scratch tickets, keno, lucky for life", says Grossman.

State Treasurer Grossman told 22News their number one concern is that people would abuse this privilege and build up massive credit card debt.

(Do you think people would be responsible with their credit cards if they could buy
lottery online?)

"No, not really, no.  (Some would) probably go overboard", says Springfield's James Shaver.

Another player in this game is the small businesses that sell lottery tickets.  Grossman says they make 5% commission on every lottery sale.  Ross Lafeniere is an assistant manager at the Country Trading Post in Chicopee. 

"It's really questionable whether it would affect our sales or not, there are some people that play 30 games of Keno and go watch it at home", says Lafreniere.

Grossman says having people buy their online credits at local stores is an option.  Not allowing credit cards is another option they are exploring. 
 
Grossman told 22News there's no time table on when this may exist, but likely not in 2013.   He says a task force report on an online lottery system will be released within a week.