Washington Lottery Tickets to Launch New Look

As reported by the Olympian: "Washington lottery players can expect new green tickets July 2, the date the state-run gambling enterprise switches to new machines in its retail outlets.

"The switch comes at a time the state Lottery is struggling to maintain its share of the state's exploding gambling market. But the change is not expected to boost the state's shrinking share of the $1.7 billion that gamblers lose each year in Washington.

"The change in ticket stock is tied to the installation of new ticket-dispensing machines that are more up to date and use a touch-screen function, Lottery spokeswoman Jacque Coe said.

"…The changes in machinery come at a time when the state Lottery is steadily losing its share of the gambling market. The Lottery has seen its overall take of the state gambling dollar plummet in the past decade, dropping to 10 percent last year from 35 percent in 1996, according to data kept by the Washington State Gambling Commission…"

2006-06-19