Starting early next year, there will be a new way to play CT Lottery games: A vending machine with touch screen technology.

The lottery is expected to roll out about 200 of the new machines in January and February.

Unlike the previous vending machines that sold only scratch game tickets, the new ones will allow people to play all of CT Lottery draw games.

The player-activated machine with a giant touch screen, will replace the old school vending machines.

Lottery players may have noticed a dwindling number of scratch game tickets in the older vending machines.

Some machines have also had the power turned off with a sign posted saying people can buy the scratch tickets at the customer courtesy booth.

Kendra Eckhart, CT Lottery’s interim director of marketing, said the contract with the previous machine vendor, International Game Technology, ran out.

The machines by its new vendor, Scientific Games Corp., “will have new technology, bright and shiny that will sell scratch games and draw tickets,” Eckhart said.

Scientific Games provides games, technology, and services to more than 150 lotteries globally, including nearly every North American lottery.

While the machines won’t replace the traditional lottery retailers, the new vending machines will give players a self-service way to buy tickets.

Along with 24 different scratch game tickets, the new machines will allow people to play such draw games as Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto, Cash 5, Lucky for Life, Play 4, Play 4 and Keno.

Like the older machines, players will still have to scan their driver’s license to verify they are 18 or older. 

According to its most recent annual report, in 2017, CT Lottery generated total sales of approximately $1.216 billion and has contributed approximately $330 million to the state’s General Fund. The General Fund is used to fund a wide variety of state services including health and hospitals, education, and public safety.

In the 2017 fiscal year, sales revenue decreased $14.5 million, or 1.2 percent, from the prior fiscal year. The report said all lottery games experienced lower sales volumes except for Keno. “Sales revenue declined primarily related to lower sales on the instant ticket portfolio and lower Powerball sales, partially offset by a full year of KENO sales revenue.”

Sales of scratch game tickets accounted for 59.2 percent of total net sales and 43.7 percent of General Fund tickets.

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Lottery-rolling-out-hi-tech-vending-machines-to-13255884.php