Casinos in Massachusetts May Hurt State Lottery Sales

"Obviously, our market is extremely different from a casino. We're not the destination that they are, and we don't have the same products that they have. I don't believe the lottery necessarily sees the casino as competition,"

Casino gambling is coming to Massachusetts and the prospects of accumulating revenue dollars is promising. The state is concerned, however, that the addition of casino gambling could hurt state lottery sales.

Massachusetts has the United States' second richest state lottery. Players come out and buy tickets early and often for the state run gambling program. Casinos are a threat to what is now a major revenue generator for the state.

While their is a threat to the lottery, studies have shown that casinos only slow down the growth of lottery sales. the studies also reveal that there is no decrease in sales. Many people who gamble in casinos also spend money on the lottery.

While some politicians believe the casinos will hurt the lottery, others do not share in that belief. "Obviously, our market is extremely different from a casino. We're not the destination that they are, and we don't have the same products that they have. I don't believe the lottery necessarily sees the casino as competition," said Diane Patterson, Director of communications for the Connecticut Lottery.

Connecticut is one of the state's that saw an increase in lottery sales the year that Foxwoods opened. That increase was short lived, however. In the two following years, the state lottery growth fell to almost nothing.