SPRINGFIELD — Starting this spring, Illinois residents will be able to purchase lottery tickets in the comfort of their homes.

As part of a three-year pilot project that is expected to start in late March or early April, the Illinois Lottery will allow Illinois residents, ages 18 and older, to purchase Mega Millions and Lotto tickets via the Internet.
The Illinois General Assembly approved the pilot program in 2009. However, the State of Illinois, which operates the Illinois Lottery, was unable to implement the pilot program until it received approval from the U.S. Department of Justice.
In 2009, U.S. Department of Justice claimed the pilot program violated the Wire Act that prohibits all forms of Internet gambling. On December 23, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice changed its stance on the Wire Act, claiming that it only applies to sports betting, allowing the Illinois Lottery to sell lottery tickets online.
Along with Illinois, New York’s lottery division also contacted the U.S. Department of Justice in 2009, requesting their approval for the online sale of lottery tickets.
“New York is looking very seriously at launching a program and I imagine there will be others, either following suit or waiting to see how Illinois and New York do and then deciding,” said Illinois Lottery Spokesperson Mike Lang.
Pending legislation would allow the Illinois Lottery to sell Powerball tickets online, in addition to Mega Millions and Lotto tickets.
“We’re hoping to add Powerball to that as well,” said Lang.
Illinois Lottery officials are working on how they can offer lottery tickets on a secure website that would confirm that purchasers are at least 18 years of age and Illinois residents.
“We have to build a system that’s going to be able to confirm that purchasers are adults who live in Illinois, so there’s lots of safeguards built in,” said Lang. “I think we have a good blueprint of what we need to do in terms of verifying ages and locations and that kind of thing, but there is some work to be done still.”
According to Lang, online lottery tickets will be purchased through debit cards.
“I think our plan is to have them set up a debit card,” said Lang. “They would have to apply for that (debit card registration) initially, get approved for that and once they get some money on that, they make a purchase through that.”
Lang expects online lottery ticket sales to increase when jackpots get above $100 million.
“We think people will take advantage of it when jackpots get pretty high — $100 million or more — and they don’t have the opportunity to go out,” said Lang.
Some of those who don’t normally play the lottery are expected to start playing the lottery, as a result of the pilot program, said Lang.
“Research shows that some players who are perhaps intimidated about playing the lottery, don’t understand its jargon — by being able to play online via the Internet — will get comfortable with it and may then actually turn into regular players who buy their tickets at brick and mortar stores,” said Lang. “That’s something that we would not be surprised to see.”