New Jersey won’t be launching iLottery this year.
Though the NJ Lottery Commission authorized online sales years ago with a 2024 target, the timing will be delayed a little further.
While it still intends to be among the states with online lotteries, the NJ Lottery told PlayiLottery it won’t be happening this year:
“While the Lottery Commission authorized online sales by the Lottery, we are still working on a number of issues and will not be launching online sales in 2024.”
NJ Lottery authorized for online expansion
Back in September 2022, the state lottery commission proposed a rule that would allow it to sell tickets to residents through the internet and mobile lottery apps.
The rule would have only applied to lottery draw games like Powerball, Mega Millions, and Jersey Cash 5. Instants and scratch-off games would still be retail only.
That proposal was adopted with plans for New Jersey iLottery beginning in the fall of 2024.
Legislators trying to stop iLottery in NJ
Plans for a New Jersey online lottery weren’t met with a lot of support from legislators.
Two different bills were introduced this year to try and stop efforts.
The first was A3759, which was focused on preventing the state lottery commission from having the power to administer online sales.
Among the text included in the bill:
“Not withstanding any other provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no lottery or type of lottery or lottery game shall be permitted to be sold via the internet by the State Lottery Commission, any entity of the State Lottery Commission, or any entity contracted by the State Lottery Commission.
“The State Lottery Commission shall not name itself, any entity of the State Lottery Commission, or any entity contracted by the State Lottery Commission as a lottery sales agent pursuant to the ‘State Lottery Law.’”
Bill ACR127 was also introduced. It declared that the rules allowing New Jersey to offer online lottery tickets are “inconsistent with legislative intent.”
Neither bill has gone beyond having a committee hearing scheduled on the matter, nor is keeping an iLottery from happening as of now.
New Jersey offering four lottery couriers
Though online ticket sales aren’t available through the New Jersey Lottery, the state does authorize four different courier services.
These couriers are able to sell retail tickets for online purchase as a third-party brand.
Jackpocket, Jackpot.com, Lotto.com, and TheLotter.com all have authorization to sell NJ retail tickets through their online services.
New Jersey Lottery Executive Director James Carey Jr. said the state will continue to see more couriers in the future during last week’s commission meeting:
“The New Jersey Lottery has partnered well with our couriers. We enjoy and get to take advantage of the advertising and the marketing that the couriers do. We look forward to more couriers entering the market.”
Photo by vectorfusionart via Shutterstock
Graphic from the New Jersey Lottery
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