Rauner Terminates Lottery Contract | WSIU

 

Gov. Bruce Rauner has announced his administration has reached an agreement to terminate the contract of Northstar Lottery Group, the private company managing the Illinois Lottery.

The governor's general counsel Jason Barclay says a new private manager will take over day-to-day operation of the lottery by Jan. 2017.

Northstar, which was hired in 2010 to increase sales and profits, has been under criticism for several years for its management style.

A recent report by the Illinois Legislature revealed the Illinois Lottery lost money last year for the first time since 2009.

The report also said Northstar has consistently failed to meet profit targets, has gone to arbitration with the state numerous times, repeatedly paid penalties for not meeting targets and failed to expand the number of lottery outlets as promised.

Rauner Terminates Lottery Contract | WSIU

Critics: Ill. lottery contract cloaked in secrecy

 

less than two weeks before Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn awards a lucrative, first-of-its-kind contract for the private management of the state's $2 billion-a-year lottery, some are criticizing the selection process as too secretive and questioning whether it favors one powerful bidder.

Illinois would be the first state to entirely privatize the management and marketing of its lottery. The move was mandated by legislators as a way to help boost revenue and attract new players

Click on the following for more details:  Pantagraph.com | News from Associated Press

Firm scratched from Illinois Lottery could stall bidding with protest

One of the biggest lottery firms in the world, Intralot S.A., is weighing a protest after it was eliminated on Aug. 9, barely a week after bids were submitted on July 30, for reasons that remain unknown.

no other state has planned to outsource so much control over its lottery operations, and the prospect of higher profits resulting from private management remains to be proved.

Only two bidders remain

 

Click on the following for more details:  Firm scratched from Lottery could stall bidding with protest | Government | Crain's Chicago Business

State hopes to hit jackpot Lottery sales and profits

the state is embarking on a new approach for running the lottery. Illinois is going ahead with plans to hire a private management firm to run the lottery for the next decade. It will be the first state in the country to turn its lottery over to a private operator.

billions in ticket sales generating more than $600 million a year for use by state schools.….Some lawmakers have estimated that a private manager could produce an extra $150 million a year in profits

Click on the following for more details:  State hopes to hit jackpot Lottery sales and profits - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

Northwest Herald Letter to Editor:| Insulting ad

 

To the Editor:

I resent the state lottery using the Christmas hymn, “Joy To The World,” as a come-on for their lottery. I ask that they pull that Christian-insulting ad.

Bill McElman

Lake In The Hills

Click on the following to read the comments, all 100+ of them:  Northwest Herald | Insulting ad