Dual Benefits of Online Lotteries

The Mega Millions lottery captured the imagination of people across the United States when it hit its $640 million jackpot at the end of March, proving that there is a lot to gain from legalizing state lotteries online.

Cash-strapped US states from the east coast to the west and everywhere in between are just starting to understand the enormous potential of legalizing online lotteries, poker and other forms of gambling. It is estimated US citizens would place hundreds of millions on lotteries if given the chance to place an online wager.

Americans love to gamble, as shown by the approximately 100 million tickets bought to the Mega Millions lottery a couple of weeks ago. Many legislators are now realizing the hypocrisy of promoting such lotteries at land-based venues, but banning them online, and so the tide seems to be shifting and online regulation seems to be on the way.

Illinois is on the way to being one of the few states to offer online lottery tickets sale, after the legislature last month approved a bill to allow the sale of Powerball tickets over the Internet in the hope that it will provide easier access and expand the customer base and revenue. Lotteries are popping up on the web all the time - from Europe to Canadian provinces and US states.

US state officials from have argued for years that they should be allowed to sell Powerball, Mega Millions and Lotto tickets online. The move by Illinois was made possible last year when the US Department of Justice ruled states could authorize certain types of online gambling from within their own borders.