House subcommittee studies feasibility of online lottery sales; Louisiana Lottery projects modest first-year return

The House Committee on Administrative Justice subcommittee convened Oct. 14 to study the feasibility, legal framework and potential revenue from selling state lottery tickets online, hearing testimony from the Louisiana Lottery Corporation, the Pennsylvania Lottery and private vendors.

The hearing, convened by Vice Chair Rep. LaFleur and attended by several committee members including Rep. Echols, Rep. Walters and Rep. Knox, focused on whether an “iLottery” program could increase and stabilize lottery revenues that fund K–12 education. Louisiana Lottery Director Rose Hudson told the committee the corporation has contributed more than $4.9 billion to the state’s Minimum Foundation Program since its founding and that online sales could modernize access to players who increasingly use mobile devices.

“The marketplace is changing,” Director Rose Hudson said. “To continue delivering strong results for Louisiana, we need to meet players where they are and offer experiences that reflect modern expectations while maintaining the security and trust that our players, retailers, and you count on.”

Why it matters: Lottery proceeds are a constitutionally designated funding stream for K–12 education in Louisiana. Witnesses emphasized iLottery could both add incremental revenue and reduce volatility tied to large jackpot games. Karen Fournette, Louisiana Lottery secretary-treasurer, told the committee recent year-to-year fluctuations were driven largely by jackpot swings and said…