Virginia Lottery sales rise during pandemic

Both online sales and retail sales increased for the Virginia Lottery this fiscal year.

US.- The Virginia Lottery has seen sales grow during the pandemic while other gambling options have been closed.

Ticket sales increased by around 36 per cent to $181.5m in the first three months of the fiscal year, compared with the same period in 2019.

The increase was largely down to the General Assembly giving the green light to internet sales this year, although sales through traditional retail vendors also increased, up by 13 per cent.

Profits increased by around 12 per cent to $27.4m after operations surged at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

As other gambling facilities closed their doors, including Rosie’s historical horse racing emporiums and retail-based skill games, citizens in Virginia were left with lottery tickets as the only gaming option.

Lottery director Kevin Hall discussed the figures with the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

He said: “We were very pleased to see what we consider to be a solid performance. This year we’ll see probably the most dramatic expansion of lottery responsibilities since we were created 32 years ago.”