WORKING FOR LOTTERY RETAILERSORLA's Government Affairs team focused on protecting Oregon Lottery Retailers
ORLA is the only major trade association in the state that has defended lottery retailers since the introduction of video lottery in Oregon. ORLA protects commission rates and shields against extreme regulatory attacks, such as increased casino expansions off tribal reservations. ORLA is supportive of gaming as entertainment, adjunct to the hospitality industry. Our government affairs staff have regular conversations with the Oregon Lottery on issues of importance for our members, including the protection of commission rates. As retailers well know, there’s increasing competition from out of state casinos threatening diminished revenues for the state. There is no one better positioned to continue having these crucial conversations with the Lottery to protect retailers’ rates. Retailer Contracts: The current lottery contract with the state expires in 2020 and with that in mind, ORLA has reactivated our Lottery Committee and will be working over the next year and a half to develop and negotiate terms for the next lottery retailers contract. ORLA requested that the Lottery move the length of contract back to a six-year contract and we will continue to ask for this and other important retailer considerations during the Lottery contract negotiations. The timeline for contract negotiations is still fluid at this point but looks roughly like this:
Lottery "Roadshow": In anticipation of the contract negotiations, the Oregon Lottery will be conducting a “roadshow” later this year, scheduling meetings around the state to talk directly with Lottery retailers. Gaming Initiatives: On May 3, 2019, the Oregon Lottery Commission voted 5-0 to move forward on pursuing a contract with a European company to bring sports betting to the Oregon Lottery’s mobile app. The Oregon Lottery hopes to have sports betting rolled out by the start of the 2019 NFL season. The following week Senator Chuck Riley, Chair of the Senate Committee on Business and General Government, introduced an amendment to HB 3389. The bill, which would allow the winners of large multi-state lottery games such as Mega Millions and Powerball to accept their winnings anonymously or have them paid into a trust that would not identify them, passed the House in late April 55 to two in favor and seemed to be on its way to passing in the Senate. Senator Riley’s amendment, however, would significantly alter the bill by prohibiting lottery gaming on personal electronic devices or through the internet effectively killing any chances for the Oregon Lottery to offer gaming on mobile phones or other devices. At the first meeting in March 2018, ORLA invited Lottery Director Barry Pack and Chief Gaming Operations Officer, Farshad Allahdadi to speak to the group. Lottery members heard first hand some of the upcoming advancements in lottery gaming as well as the future of the Lottery as it pertains to new games, new accessibility and how they interact with retailers and players. One potential is using mobile devices for “direct player transactions” and “push notifications.” ORLA Lottery Committee: ORLA is planning on hosting regular meetings with our Lottery Committee to keep dues paying members informed and discuss the contract. ORLA’s government affairs team also plans to be in attendance at the Oregon Lottery’s road show meetings. Have questions / concerns about issues relating to the Lottery? Give us a call at 503.682.4422 or email Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, at Astley@OregonRLA.org. Related News & Information:
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