New lottery bill that would give money to education draws support in Oklahoma

Current law requires the lottery to give 35% of its profits to education. The bill would remove that profit requirement, said Jay Finks, Oklahoma Lottery director of marketing and administration.

With the proposed changes in the bill, the lottery expects to give education $335 million in the next five years. Finks claimed that the lottery industry has peaked in what it can give to education and now is on a decline.

Lottery revenue going to education hit a high mark in 2008 at USD 71.6 million.

In fiscal year 2016, it provided USD 66.4 million, said Rollo Redburn, lottery executive director. In fiscal year 2015, it was USD 60.1 million, he said. 

Part of the problem is competing with other gambling entities, such as casinos, officials have said. In addition, prizes are not large enough to motivate consumers, they said.

“We have the lowest payouts in the country,” Finks said. “It impacts sales. We can’t grow sales.”

House Appropriations and Budget Chair Leslie Osborn, R-Mustang, and Senate Appropriations Chair Kim David, R-Porter, are the authorsof the draft.

However, the new legislation has some detractors. Senator Marty Quinn was among the nine voting against the measure for what he said was a personal preference. He said the measure will incentivize gambling.

“I don’t think gambling is good for society,” Quinn said. “There is plenty of evidence of the harm it causes our society. It preys heavily on the less fortunate. They have the most to lose.”