The history of online lottery games in the United States is still relatively young. At present, seven states offer online lotteries. Once federal legislation is clearer, states will make decisions on whether to offer these games. In the meantime, the laws and regulations are evolving rapidly. The following is a brief overview of some of the most significant points regarding online lottery games.
Powerball and Mega Millions are only available to subscription holders with the Illinois Lottery
Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the US Virgin Islands. The drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET, and tickets are available for purchase on the Illinois Lottery website and on the Illinois Lottery’s cable channel. Ticket purchasers in Illinois can also view the drawings on the official Mega Millions website. After each drawing, the winning numbers are announced.
To access Powerball and Mega Millions, players must have an account with the Illinois Lottery. Players must be at least 18 years of age to purchase tickets. If you’re under 18, you cannot purchase tickets online or through a mobile device. Users must have an Illinois address to register for a Players Account.
New Hampshire Lottery donates portion of earnings to charity
The New Hampshire Lottery recently announced that a $559 million jackpot winner would be donating a portion of her prize to charity. The anonymous winner will donate $150,000 to Girls Inc. and $33,000 to three chapters of End 68 Hours of Hunger in New Hampshire. Her lawyers have said she will donate between $25 million and $50 million in her lifetime to charities.
While it is possible that a lottery winner may have to reveal his or her identity, the New Hampshire Lottery will continue to donate a portion of its earnings to charity. “There is no reason to do anything that will draw attention away from the winner,” said Nick Holeman, a certified financial planner at Betterment. “If a New Hampshire Lottery winner wants to stay anonymous, they should maintain a low profile,” he said.
Connecticut Lottery renegotiated gaming compacts with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes
After several years of back and forth, the Connecticut Lottery has finalized a new deal that will allow it to offer sports betting. The deal was signed by Gov. Ned Lamont and the tribes in March 2021. As part of the amended compacts, the state lottery will open retail gaming outlets and mobile sports betting apps statewide.
The revised gaming compacts were approved by the US Department of Interior. Governor Ned Lamont signed off on the deal. The amended compacts with the tribes are part of a larger effort to legalize sports betting and fantasy sports in Connecticut. The compacts also include an expansion of gambling opportunities for the state’s residents online.
CT Lottery uses geolocation technology to monitor where people are playing
The geolocation technology is used by legal online lottery websites. This means that if a player attempts to buy lottery tickets online from outside their state, their purchase will be denied. Geolocation technology is used by more than a dozen states and is expected to be adopted by more in the near future.
Geolocation technology is used by online lottery websites and applications to track where people play. While it may not be as useful as physical location tracking, geolocation allows online lottery operators to see where their players are playing. The CT Lottery has partnered with Cashman & Katz to handle the $5 million PR and advertising account for the lottery.