Lottery projects uneven revenue, seeks security and accessibility upgrades as VLT policy debate continues

Charlie McIntyre, director of the New Hampshire Lottery, told the Finance - Division II committee that the lottery’s revenues hit a record in fiscal 2024 but are expected to decline in the near term and remain sensitive to jackpot cycles and interest rates. McIntyre said the agency is asking lawmakers to fund updates to its security and public-entry systems and to consider policy language on video lottery terminals that appears in multiple bills, including HB 728 and the governor’s budget.

McIntyre said the lottery’s gross sales have grown from roughly $250 million a decade ago to about $633 million now, and that Powerball and scratch tickets remain the largest revenue sources. “Every Powerball ticket we sell, 40¢ that is profit,” McIntyre said. He attributed FY2024’s exceptional transfers to the Education Trust Fund to a run of unusually large jackpots and higher interest rates that inflated Powerball prize pools.

Why it matters: Lottery revenue flows to the state’s Education Trust Fund, so changes in sales or prizes affect the dollars available for education. Committee members pressed for more detail on rising operating costs and on how new gaming activity could change long-term revenue estimates.

At the hearing, lawmakers and lottery officials discussed three linked issues: (1) recent revenue and profitability trends, (2) the agency’s operating-cost increases and staffing levels, and (3) requests for capital improvements and facility security. McIntyre told lawmakers the agency runs “very much like a business” with divisions for sales, marketing, security,…