Florida Lottery to Install Vending Machines

Posted on May 31st, 2009

The Florida lottery is one of the biggest and most popular state lotteries in the US. Florida lottery scratch off games are popular and generate considerable revenues for the state of Florida. Now the state of Florida plans to make the purchase of the popular scratch off lottery tickets as easy as buying a soda from a vending machine.

Florida plans to install 1,000 lottery vending machines across the state in August. Vending machines for scratch off lottery tickets had been used before but Gov. Jeb Bush got rid of them in 2001. Florida is one of the top 10 states for lottery revenues and the addition of the new vending machines is expected to produce a substantial increase in Florida lottery revenues.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a budget bill that includes $4 million to install 1,000 self serve lottery vending machines across the state. Many of the new Florida lottery vending machines will be in supermarkets throughout Florida including Publix and Winn Dixie. The machines were tested in South Florida in 2007 with positive results. It was also found that the lottery vending machines boosted sales in the stores where they were located. The pilot program found that store sales increased by as much as 30% in the stores where the lottery vending machines were installed.

Florida Lottery officials estimate that the new machines will increase lottery revenues by $3.4 which will go towards education. The new lottery vending machines will be equipped with a ‘kill’ switch to prevent minors from buying lottery tickets. The ‘kill’ switch enables a store manager or clerk to disable the machine should an under age person attempt to purchase tickets. The Florida Lottery plans to have all the new machines in place by November.

Several other states use vending machines to sell lottery tickets. Many cash strapped states are considering many ways they can boost lottery revenues. Many states devote most of the money generated by lotteries to education and a decline in ticket sales can have an adverse effect on a state’s educational system. In some states lottery money is used for college scholarships and a decline in revenue could put college out of reach for many.

Some states are thinking about allowing the sale of online lottery tickets to close budget gaps. The ability to buy lotto tickets from home would be a real convenience for players especially those in rural communities. European lotteries have offered players the ability to purchase lottery tickets online with great success. States considering such a move hope they will be equally successful.