The Senate Commerce Committee considers House Bill 1289, would forbid retailers who primarily are check-cashing businesses to sell lottery tickets. It would also prohibit the lottery commission from advertising at any high school sporting event.
Bill sponsor, Rep Pricey Harrison, D Guilford, says it’s unseemly to sell lottery tickets in check cashing stores.
This came about when in January the Lottery Commission signed an agreement with Check cashers and said they could do it because it was not against the law. Currently 8 check cashers sell lottery tickets. This bill would forbid cash checking businesses from selling lottery tickets. Bill co-sponsor, Rep Ruth Samuelson, R Mecklenburg, says the only thing check cashing stores sell is lottery tickets – their other business is to provide a service. Tom Sheehen, lottery director speaks to the committee. He does not object “except that they are excluding a business from the free enterprise system, what business could be next?”
There are questions about what businesses would be affected – grocery stores where checks are also cashed? Convenience stores that issue money orders?
Sheehan says they never advertise in areas where there are predominantly minors. Have no intention of advertising to anyone under the age of eighteen. If they feel like they need to prohibit advertising at high school sports events, that’s okay but they didn’t intend to advertise there anyway. Rep Eddie Goodall, R Mecklenburg, asks about some of their advertising with cartoons or seems to appeal to minors. Sheehan says they don’t use cartoons. Harrison says she thinks it’s safe to put this prohibition into law. Which begs the question – if there is no problem, why do we need to legislate it?
Vote on the bill – 11 yes; 8 no.
