It seems that Massachusetts Lottery players may soon no longer have to shell out cold, hard cash for scratch tickets and other Lottery products. Is this good news or not we will see, it depends on which side you stand. Lottery numbers

The state Lottery Commission is preparing as early as January 1st to permit customers to buy its games of chance with debit cards, a move that Treasurer Steven Grossman, who oversees the Lottery, said would offer convenience, especially in retail stores without ATMs. Lottery checker

“I think it could have a modest, positive impact on sales. I think it’s a convenience issue for people,” Grossman told reporters after chairing a meeting of the State Lottery Commission Tuesday morning. “This is all about customer service. If you make your customer service absolutely as good as it can be, it’s bound to have a positive impact on sales”, said Grossman.

Lottery officials said 33 of 42 state lotteries around the country already permit debit card purchases.

“It’s the way of the future,” said Lottery executive director Paul Sternburg said during the meeting.

Grossman noted however that retailers would have to notify customers of the option. Other Lottery officials noted that retailers might need to be educated about the shift in policy to avoid making banned Lottery sales to customers on public assistance and using electronic benefit transfer cards.

This change has attracted negative comments from critics of the Lottery, which generates more than $4 billion in sales each year, sends about $900 million a year in profits to cities and towns as local aid, and faces increased competition for the gambling dollar from Bay State casinos.

“The Lottery is aggressively pushing people into deeper personal debt by allowing citizens to use debit cards. The Lottery symbolizes more than any other how government’s predatory gambling program has failed,” said Les Bernal, executive director of Stop Predatory Gambling. “What essentially is a government program is actively encouraging people to lose money, quote-unquote, as conveniently as possible. Why isn’t the Massachusetts treasury encouraging people to save money?”

As a lottery player, most probably by approving this change, players will have more access to buy their favorite games at any time any place without considering if they have enough hard cash at hand or not. On one hand it will open up the door for the Lottery to receive more funds as consumers will have more chances of buying lottery products. On the other hand Lottery critics also have a very important point to their argument, this move seems a bit desperate to fight for the dollar of those who play chance games.

In the end it all boils down to the consumer, because they decide where they put their buck.