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By JOAN BARRON
Star-Tribune capital bureau

Monday, January 12, 2009 6:28 PM MST

CHEYENNE -- Legislators will have another chance to pass a state lottery bill in the weeks ahead. The new proposal is modeled after the 15-year-old Georgia lottery.

The 2009 version is different in many respects from previous bills that failed to get through the Wyoming Legislature.

For one thing, the proposal would direct $11 million or $12 million to the Hathaway Scholarship Permanent Trust. It also would set up a separate entity, a business corporation, to run the lottery and would not require any state dollars.

The main sponsors of "The Wyoming Lottery for Education Act," Reps. George Bagby, D-Rawlins, and Sue Wallis, R-Recluse, were signing up more sponsors Monday, the day before today's noon opening of the 60th Wyoming Legislature.

A four-member board appointed by the governor would oversee the corporation.

The bill authorizes Wyoming-specific lottery games and the state's involvement in any multistate lotteries.

The bill differs from the Georgia program in that it also allows for visual lottery terminals at Wyoming Downs, the horse track in Evanston.

The horse racetrack would put up a $1 million application fee to help the corporation get started.

"That exact form of video lottery can only be at the racetrack," Wallis said.

The restriction should reassure people who are "concerned about rampant gambling across the state," Wallis said.

Two years ago horse racing officials opposed the lottery bill.

Wallis and Bagby noted that legislative leaders say the Hathaway scholarship fund is running short this year and education officials may have to dip into reserves.

"Every time you buy a lottery ticket, you're not only taking a chance of winning yourself, you're also helping the Hathaway scholarship," Bagby said.

Previous bills failed primarily because of the cost to the state, coupled with estimated low revenues from a lottery because of Wyoming's small population.

"This is what I love about this bill," Wallis said. "Zero state appropriation. Doesn't raise taxes. We're not taking money away from anybody to do this."

Gov. Dave Freudenthal, during the Democratic legislators' caucus Sunday, reiterated his opposition to gambling bills.

He said if the Legislature passes a "clean Powerball bill," however, he would sign it into law.

Wallis pointed out the lottery allows the state to participate in the national Powerball, or multistate lottery.

The bill requires that at least 45 percent of the income go to prizes, while the rest would go to the Hathaway fund.

Currently Wyoming residents must leave the state to buy lottery tickets.

Under the bill, retailers could sign a contract with the corporation to participate. If they passed a background check, the corporation would set up a video terminal in its store or facility. The merchant would then get to keep a minimum 5 percent of the proceeds.

Contact Joan Barron at (307) 632-1244 or joan.barron@trib.com.


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There are 23 comment(s)

Comments to this story.

CHEYENNE wrote on Jan 12, 2009 9:33 PM:

" This state does not need any lottery no matter who it benifits. If the Hathaway funds are low then they need to make the requirements more strict so not as many students will benefit. This state does not need to stoop down as the other states have done. Other states are running severly in the red dispite their lottery involvment. This state is in the black and it should stay that way. "

TR wrote on Jan 13, 2009 8:33 AM:

" The religious whackos in Wyoming will never allow this. "

Josey wrote on Jan 13, 2009 10:33 AM:

" I think it's about time we got a lottery... if stricter Hathaway requirements have to be made so not as many students benefit as Cheyenne suggests, what the heck is going on in Wyoming for financing a education? This is one of the best places for decent affordable college ed., why not expand it and have lotto and get MORE kids into colleges here?????? "

WestWyo wrote on Jan 13, 2009 1:24 PM:

" Personally, I've neve bought a lotto ticket, but I'm not so sanctimonious that I would oppose keeping in Wyoming all of the money I have seen spent by WY residents in CO & ID. Based on fireworks and liquor sales in Evanston, I'll bet we could bring in a lot of UT dollars also. "

oldmunchkin wrote on Jan 13, 2009 3:21 PM:

" Why should we spend our money in other states when we could be benefitting from that money ourselves? The lottery is long overdue. "

DAKOTA wrote on Jan 14, 2009 9:59 AM:

" I hope this bill doesn't die in Committee like past lottery bills have. Keep checking the Wyoming Legislature's website to watch the progress of this bill. It's House Bill HB 0170. Watch for when it when it gets voted on, who votes for or against it and contact them. This is money that is normally leaving the state to the benefit of our neighboring states. Don't let the moral majority (which is neither) dictate to us what laws we will have in Wyoming. "

LaramieResident wrote on Jan 14, 2009 4:52 PM:

" Hopefully we can keep the Mormons from shooting this down again. Cheyenne and Laramie people spend tons of money on lottery games in Greenie Land, we NEED to keep that money here. "

Saratoga wrote on Jan 14, 2009 9:35 PM:

" I would support the lottery 110 percent. As has been stated already there is a large amount of money headed into Colorado and Nebraska from Wyoming residence buying loto tickets.

Cheyenne wants to make the Hathaway requirements more strict so less kids will qualify so we will have even more unemployment and supporting them thru social services "

DC wrote on Jan 15, 2009 7:28 AM:

" Would everyone opposed to having a state lotto be against having an open donation program to the Hathaway program?? That is essentially what this would be. Nobody will be forced to play the lotto, if it is not in line with your morale or religious convictions then simply don't play. This is an opportunity to fund a worthy program with money that will otherwise be spent in surrounding states that do offer a lottery. Why not capture some of it for our own state. A lottery would generate a lot of money for good uses here in WY. Come on people!! "

Wyo Boy wrote on Jan 15, 2009 9:23 AM:

" All a lottery does is take more money from the poor and undereducated. This has been studied and proven and is not debatable. The buffoons proposing this program will never learn. How many times do the citizens of Wyoming have to tell them to stick this idea where the sun doesn't shine before they get a clue and go home??? "

Steve M wrote on Jan 15, 2009 11:56 AM:

" If previous bills only failed because of teh cost to the state than I think the problem has been solved and a state lottery could really help. If it brings in too low of revinues than it won't last, but considering the number of people who buy lottery tickets out of state I don't think that will happen.

Is there a strong riligious and moral voice "

DC wrote on Jan 16, 2009 10:33 AM:

" Wyo Boy - Why do you think it is that during a time of recession, even the lotto systems take a big hit? Are the "poor and uneducated" hit extra hard during such a time?? Yeah right, its because most of the people that buy lotto tickets are those with dispensable income. And when dispensable income decreases people are more likely to spend the money on necessities instead of the lotto. Most of the people that play the lottery aren't the "poor and uneducated" putting down their very last dollar on a ticket. People play the lotto because its a fun way to spend a buck. The bigger point here is, why not keep some of that money in WY?? People that want to play are going to play, so our state might as well get something out of the deal. "

horsemen wrote on Jan 16, 2009 12:32 PM:

" This will save 2 things. The Hathaway program which has helped my some go to school, and a industry that has struggled for many years "Horse Industry". 100% Lottery profits go to Hathaway. Of the Video Machines at race tracks 1% go to fund Equestrian events at Fairgrounds etc! That could be as much as $500,000.00 per year!! Also 1 1/2% to enhance the Wyoming Bred Program which is to promote breeding of horses in the state! This is a win win for Wyoming people!!! "

Casper Resident wrote on Jan 19, 2009 9:41 AM:

" We can't have a lottery yet. There are still other states that don't have lottery. You know that Wyoming always has to be the last state in the union to do anything. I'm with Gov. Dave on this one; I think we should just be part of powerball but not do our own state lotters, as we do not have enough population to support a decent state lottery. "

Whatever wrote on Jan 19, 2009 10:51 AM:

" CHEYENNE,
Your comments are ridiculous; you say that if we don't have enough scholarship funds we should make the requirements stricter so less people can qualify for funds to go to college. That's about the most ridiculous comment I have ever heard. We should be trying to make sure the funds are available for every U.S. citizen who wishes to go to college to be able to do so. The only way we keep our competitive advantage in the world market is if we have a highly educated society. I strongly disagree with your position; I want to see everyone able to get an education in America; lottery or no lottery. "

Matt wrote on Jan 19, 2009 12:29 PM:

" DON'T BE STUPID!!!

MAKE IT THE MEGA-MILLIONS LOTTERY, NOT THE POWERBALL!!!

THAT WAY WE WILL GET ALL THE REVENUE FROM THE BORDER STATES TICKET PURCHASERS!!!

WITH POWERBALL WE ACCOMPLISH ALMOST NOTHING!!!

MAKE IT THE MEGA-MILLIONS LOTTERY!!!!!!!!!

DON'T CREATE A STATE LOTTERY EITHER, IT WOULD BE A COLOSSAL FAILURE!!!

LET'S JUST JOIN THE NATIONAL MEGA-MILLIONS LOTTERY!!! "

Buffalo wrote on Jan 19, 2009 5:54 PM:

" Cheyenne speaks. A person from city that is self serving and does not care about the rest of the state. Cheyenne exists off tax dollars and has little in common with the rest of us. No mind to deny us the same amenities they can get by driving for 15 minutes south. Without our tax dollars you would be little more than a truck stop and firecracker stands, but yet you claim to know what is best for us. "

Barry wrote on Jan 20, 2009 8:09 AM:

" I'm not poor or uneducated, but for some reason I still like to play the lottery. It's high time we stopped spending our money in neighboring states. This is the "land of the free", not the "land of the repressed by the religious right". If you don't like the lottery don't play. "

George M. wrote on Jan 20, 2009 1:49 PM:

" It has always been my opinion that a lottery is a stupidity tax. As a rule, most of the people who play (with exceptions, like Barry, above) are from the left half of the intelligence curve. If a person like to gamble the odds are much better in a casino or even a bingo hall. "

Who it protecting the ignorant wrote on Jan 20, 2009 4:06 PM:

" Just what we need. Another tax. And this tax is solely on the ignorant. Isn't this a newly minted nanny state? Shouldn't someone be looking out for the ignorant since the new belief is that none of us know what is good for ourselves and the socialists must take care of us and tell us what we can and cannot do? "

Thelma Jean wrote on Jan 20, 2009 5:21 PM:

" We must protect people from themselves at all costs. No gambling. No booze, smokes or chew. No fatty foods. No bicycles. No skate boards. No computers (carple-tunnel syndrome). No kites (electrocution hazard). No bath tubs (drowning and slip hazards)...OR just tax all of them out of existance. Isn't that the idea here anyway? "

amazed wrote on Jan 20, 2009 9:19 PM:

" I would love to see the lottery in Wyoming. I offer no particular argument. I just want to by a lottery ticket once-in-a-while "

Chuck wrote on Jan 23, 2009 9:04 PM:

" If you live in Wyoming or any other state, you can always play a state lottery. The Massachusetts lottery has a subscription service all US residence. They even have a toll-free to call to order a subscription. They send the subscription ticket by courier, as they can't send it by mail, so they charge a few dollars for that. But is a bit fun and you never know. "

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