Illinois Lottery sales tank as Democrats block funding for payouts

Ticket sales slumped by more than $20 million in October as lottery players balked at a broken system.

UPDATE: A spokesperson for Senate President John Cullerton said on Nov. 23 that if the Illinois House of Representatives passes House Bill 4305, which includes funding for lottery payouts, Cullerton will schedule additional session days for the Senate to vote on the bill. This means House Democrats remain the only roadblock to state funding for lottery payouts.

Illinois Lottery ticket sales dropped to near two-year lows in October, according to data obtained by ABC 7. As of Oct. 15, the state had stopped paying out winnings over $600. That followed news in August that the state couldn’t cut checks for ticket holders who had won more than $25,000.

Now, a bill to remedy this embarrassing condition is currently being held up in the Democrat-controlled Illinois House of Representatives.

Illinoisans are wising up to the bad deal. And that’s despite the fact that the Illinois Lottery has not indicated in advertisements or in stores that winners’ payments will be delayed indefinitely.

Sales for most tickets declined about $21 million in October compared with September sales. Powerball sales alone dropped by more than half to $6.5 million from $15 million.

Most Illinoisans thought this madness would end when the Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation Nov. 10 that would distribute funds to the lottery. But state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, quickly filed a “motion to reconsider.”

The bill will not move to the Illinois Senate for a vote until Currie lifts this barrier.

The Senate is not scheduled to meet again in 2015, but Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, could call the Senate to session at any time to vote on the bill.

Until Democrats in the General Assembly take action, Illinoisans banking on life-changing lottery payouts will be left waiting.