Oklahoma City, OK – Lottery Commission discusses strategy
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) State lottery officials are predicting a decline in lottery revenue because of the slumping economy and new competition from a lottery in Arkansas.
Oklahoma Lottery sales are expected to decline by between $10 million and $12 million according to a strategic plan for maximizing lottery sales.
Lottery director Jim Scroggins and other lottery officials have asked state lawmakers to end a requirement that 35 percent of lottery sales go to education. They say the move would free up more money for prizes and lead to an increase in ticket sales in Oklahoma.
Lawmakers have refused to consider the idea.
Arkansas is scheduled to start selling lottery tickets Monday and Scroggins says that will affect sales in Oklahoma. He says seven of Oklahoma's top 10 retailers are along the Arkansas border.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press