Mississippi lottery panel collects information

The committee that was created to study the business in neighboring states started its operations.

US.- As Mississippi is considering the possibility of creating a new state lottery, the body that was formed by the government to analyse the activity in close states is collecting information of how the business operates.

As the Lottery Post confirmed, Rep. Mac Huddleston, R-Pontotoc, and Nick Bain, D-Corinth went to Little Rock earlier this month to study the issues around the lottery, as well as other members visited Baton Rouge to collect information as official members of thsaid Mac Huddleston regarding lottery officials from Arkansas. The new data reveals that whilst it is uncertain if the lottery helped with economic development, the social programs are not exclusively dependent on the money that the lottery directs to them. “I don’t think the lottery is like casinos in that regard,” said Bain.

Moreover, as Louisiana has a mandate that dictates the money that can be destined to the lottery itself, Arkansas doesn’t and both officials agree that it would be better to establish a number, even though they’re still unsure. The task force is set to meet in the upcoming weeks, but not before another visit to a neighboring Tennessee, a state that generated US$394 million in 2016.

Richard Benner, House Gaming Chair, said that the lottery task force will only provide the information to house members instead of making a statement of whether Mississippi should allow lottery services or not.