Stop Predatory Gambling

Texas Lottery using back door efforts to expand predatory gambling

by spgadmin

The Texas Lottery is considering some rule changes that will make the Lottery even more predatory.  The proposed rule changes would allow retailers to sell what essentially amount to electronic scratch off tickets.  Called “terminally printed instant tickets,” these games combine the frequent and random reinforcement of instant gratification usually associated with scratch off tickets with a more easily dispensed print out ticket.

The result is the most predatory product the Texas Lottery has ever sold.  These new tickets need only be paired with video confirmation of the instant ticket (a concept that has already been approved previously by the Texas Lottery) to create video lottery terminals (slot machines).

Even more disturbing is that the Texas Lottery Commission, headed by three appointees, is seeking to do through its own internal rulemaking process what it has failed to do in the public elected Texas Legislature.  It is a shame to see such a back door effort by a state agency to circumvent the publicly elected Texas Legislature.