To assist combat out-of-condition competition, free airline Virginia Lottery is thinking about presenting on the internet options, including smartphone programs that will allow gamers to buy Powerball and Mega Millions tickets on their own phone.

Lottery director John Musgrave told people from the condition Lottery Commission Tuesday that authorities met with condition casino professionals as well as their technical staff recently to go over potential on the internet options within the condition. Another meeting to go over the problem is placed to occur in Charleston at the end of October.

“We’re still exploring (on the internet) because we’re feeling that’s how a industry’s moving, so you want to plan for this,” Musgrave stated after Tuesday’s meeting. “We haven’t yet made any decision for the way we’re likely to carry it out, but we’re searching in internet marketing, studying it to see how our casinos within our jurisdiction can move for the reason that direction.”

Last Feb, Nj passed legislation permitting casinos to operate websites that take bets for games like poker and blackjack. Nj needs to usher in yet another $55 million to condition tax coffers within the coming fiscal year consequently from the expansion.

Musgrave stated the internet gambling options may help push away the ongoing erosion of lottery revenue in the state’s four racetrack casinos, that are seeing their revenue base cannibalized by new out-of-condition procedures.

“We’re still visiting a decline (in revenue),” Musgrave stated. “We are still going through competition because the new casinos are developing in Maryland plus some in Ohio. That hasn’t plateaued.”

The condition Lottery published total revenue of $101.a million for that month of This summer, which was lower 4 % in the $105.4 million collected in This summer 2013. Racetrack video lottery in the state’s four racetrack casinos rejected nearly five percent from this past year to $51.a million for that month.

Additionally to competition, two condition racetrack casinos can experience declines because of new smoking restrictions within their home areas. Ohio and Maryland do not let smoking within their casinos, which authorities say sports ths business at Northern and Eastern Panhandle casinos.

On Tuesday, the Hancock County Board of Health all passed an inside smoking prohibit. Professionals at Mountaineer Casino in Chester the prohibit could cause a 20 % loss of their revenue. Musgrave stated Jefferson County, the place to find Lottery cash cow Hollywood Casino at Charles Town, can also be mulling an identical prohibit.

Permitting the casinos to start on the internet would require condition Legislature to alter the state’s gaming laws and regulations.

However, Musgrave stated the Lottery could implement one type of on the internet without legislative approval: making Powerball, Mega Millions and Hot Lotto games available via a smartphone application.

“Basically, we believe we’re able to implement that now,” Musgrave stated.

Underneath the concept, a person could setup a free account and purchase their tickets and collect their awards online through their phone.

Musgrave stated the application approach may help reverse losing some service station clients who’ve stopped entering stores and playing lottery tickets simply because they purchase their transaction in the pump.

“People accustomed to use and purchase their gas, and today they’re having to pay in the pump and never moving in,Inches he stated.

In searching in a potential Lottery application, Musgrave stated he’d like to find away out for small supermarkets and lottery merchants to take advantage of the transaction.

“We want to consider the way we would feel the store – the mother and jumps,” he stated. “We wish to keep individuals individuals this mixture moving forward and just how we are able to structure this to still keep your retail base to achieve this.Inches