Dayton confronts bill reeling in Minnesota Lottery
Published 3:51 pm Saturday, May 17, 2014
ST. PAUL — By landslide votes, lawmakers put Gov. Mark Dayton on the spot with a bill preventing the Minnesota Lottery from offering instant-play games online or selling tickets at gas pumps and ATMs.
Dayton hasn’t indicated what he’ll decide, but his lottery director craves a veto.
The Senate voted 56-5 on Friday for the gambling regulation bill and the House then added its consent by a 126-2 vote.
While the bill could cost the state an estimated $11.7 million, supporters say the lottery overstepped its authority by offering the games without legislative approval.
The bill would end electronic versions of scratch-off tickets by Oct. 30. Those games went live in February.
There would be no chance for a veto override if Dayton strikes the bill down.