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Idaho Lottery to allow card payment for small prizes; committee adopted temporary and pending rules
Summary
The Idaho State Lottery proposed rules allowing retailers to pay small prizes ($1'$499) by a payment card rather than cash to reduce retailers' on-hand cash; the committee approved temporary and pending rules.
Andrew Arulanandam, director of the Idaho State Lottery, told the committee retailers have been restricting cash on hand for safety reasons and were sending winners elsewhere to cash low-tier prizes. The lottery proposed a card-based payment for prizes above $100 and up to $499; prizes of $1 to $100 can still be paid in cash by licensed retailers.
"Idaho lottery winners will still be able to receive cash for their winnings from a dollar up to a hundred dollars at these stores," Arulanandam said. "Anything above a hundred dollars may be paid by price payment card up to $499. This price payment card is as good as cash. It has no transaction or fees attached and it may be utilized by the Idaho lottery winner at any store of their choice."
Committee members confirmed the card is retail-issued (a gift-card style instrument) and not the lottery issuing a card. Representative Crane moved to approve the temporary rule and later to adopt the pending rule; the committee approved both motions by voice vote. The rules are intended to reduce retailers' cash holdings without diminishing winners' access to their prizes.
