The national Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing (NACS) has issued a statement urging members to show support for a US online gambling ban and Chaffetz and Graham banning bills recently presented to Congress.
Convenience store owners have had concerns that online lottery ticket sales could reduce not only its lottery but overall sales.
The NACS said:
“Unfortunately, in late 2011 the Department of Justice changed nearly 50 years of legal precedent and decided that the Wire Act does not prevent gambling on the Internet (other than sports betting).
“Because of this dramatic change, the Internet is poised to be the Wild West of gambling with individual states allowing gambling businesses of all kinds to set up shop online and prey upon vulnerable Americans without any federal check or consistency.”
The Association continued:
“Not only would this put kids at risk and dramatically increase gambling addiction and related problems, but it would devastate NACS member businesses throughout the country. Among the products NACS members offer are lottery tickets. NACS members spend substantial time and money ensuring that they verify age before customers can buy lottery tickets. No website will be able to replicate that.
"And, for problem gamblers and those who cannot afford to lose the money, just the need to leave home, go to a store and deal with another person in a face- to-face transaction can create some friction on decisions that they would later regret — certainly more friction than clicking a mouse in the privacy of home would cause. All of that will be lost if there are no federal limits on lotteries and other online gambling.”
Finally, the Association writes:
"Many convenience stores depend on lottery ticket sales to generate foot traffic inside the store. Furthermore, the frequent lottery customer purchases additional items when they purchase their lottery tickets. In fact, on 95 percent of their store visits, lottery customers purchased at least one other merchandise product in addition to lottery.”
jade
9 years ago
I cannot believe that I am reading this big bunch of of bull. Convenience stores in my area have a problem, a big problem, but it has nothing to do with the crap their complaining about. For many years convenience stores where I live had these nudge machines. These machines paid out in cash. It was illegal where I live...
I cannot believe that I am reading this big bunch of of bull. Convenience stores in my area have a problem, a big problem, but it has nothing to do with the crap their complaining about. For many years convenience stores where I live had these nudge machines. These machines paid out in cash. It was illegal where I live to pay winners in cash but it was done all the time. The lottery in this State felt that people were playing these machines and not buying as many lottery tickets. The lottery is now getting a share of the money made by these machines. They arrested many of the convenience store owners still paying off winners in cash, confiscated the money and shut down the store. Very few people play these machines anymore because if you win, you are paid in store merchandise, gas and lottery tickets. Most people like myself play on the internet now so the convenience stores are losing money. That is why the convenience stores want online gambling to be banned. Screw you convenience store
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