Iowa Lottery

Americans Continue "Lotto" Love

Lotteries Maintain Success in Down Economy

DES MOINES, Iowa - According to a recent press release from The North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL), retailers close to home and a desire for less expensive entertainment spurred lottery sales during the past fiscal year.

During the last FY 2010 year ending in June, the North American lottery industry generated more than $70 billion in gross sales, and contributed more than $21 billion to the important government programs and services in each jurisdiction. With more than $1 billion in increased sales over the previous fiscal year, lottery sales are more than either the music or movie industry, as stated by NASPL.

"Players appeared to stay closer to home for entertainment," says David Gale, Executive Director of NASPL.

That trend, according to Gale, also meant more than $38 billion has been awarded in prizes to lottery players and more than $4 billion was paid to retailers for selling lottery products throughout North America. With the total gross sales of $70 billion, more than $60 billion has been returned back into the economies of each individual jurisdiction either in prizes, commissions or net profits.

"Even those who don't play often benefit from lottery money projects," explains Gale. "Lotteries help fund education, veteran's programs, capital development, teachers' retirement funds, police and fire pension relief, economic development, literacy programs and early childhood reading, state general funds, the arts, environment and natural resources, responsible gaming programs, as well as a host of others programs and services that would either be cut or reduced if lotteries were not in operation today."

Since the first lottery start-up in New Hampshire in 1964, more than $1.1 trillion has been sold in lottery tickets and more than $350 billion has been generated to support all the beneficiary programs. In addition more than $64 billion has been paid to lottery retailers, and more than $641 billion has been paid out in prizes.

The 44 U.S. Lotteries where a lottery is available are: Arizona Lottery, Arkansas Lottery, California Lottery, Colorado Lottery, Connecticut Lottery Corporation, D.C. Lottery and CGCB, Delaware State Lottery, Florida Lottery, Georgia Lottery Corporation, Hoosier Lottery, Idaho Lottery, Illinois Lottery, Iowa Lottery, Kansas Lottery, Kentucky Lottery Corporation, Louisiana Lottery Corporation, Maine Lottery, Maryland Lott, Massachusetts Lottery, Michigan Lottery, Minnesota State Lottery, Missouri Lottery, Montana Lottery, Nebraska Lottery, New Hampshire Lottery Commission, New Jersey Lottery, New Mexico Lottery Authority, New York Lottery, North Carolina Education Lottery, North Dakota Lottery, Ohio Lottery, Oklahoma Lottery, Oregon Lottery, Pennsylvania Lottery, Rhode Island Lottery, South Carolina Education Lottery, South Dakota Lottery, Tennessee Education Lottery, Texas Lottery, U.S. Virgin Islands Lottery, Vermont Lottery, Virginia Lottery, Washington Lottery, Wisconsin Lottery and the West Virginia Lottery. The Canadian lottery organizations are: Atlantic Lottery Corporation, British Columbia Corporation, Loto-Quebec, Ontario Lottery & Gaming, and Western Canada Lottery Corporation.