“Gerry is well-respected nationwide for his deep knowledge of the lottery industry, and Rhode Islanders for decades have benefited from having someone with Gerry’s experience and expertise at the helm,” Gov. Gina Raimondo said in the news release. “He will be sorely missed. We wish him a long and happy retirement.”
Rhode Island Lottery Director Gerald Aubin is retiring after more than two decades overseeing the state’s gambling operations, the lottery announced Friday afternoon.
Aubin, a former Providence deputy police chief, will step down “in the spring,” according to a lottery news release. No successor has been nominated.
The announcement comes after a year of intense and at times bitter negotiations and political maneuverings over a proposed contract extension for International Game Technology.
That contract extension is still pending before lawmakers, and minutes after the lottery announced Aubin’s intention to retire, both the House and Senate scheduled hearings for next week on the latest iteration of IGT-backed contract legislation.
“Gerry is well-respected nationwide for his deep knowledge of the lottery industry, and Rhode Islanders for decades have benefited from having someone with Gerry’s experience and expertise at the helm,” Gov. Gina Raimondo said in the news release. “He will be sorely missed. We wish him a long and happy retirement.”
Aubin was appointed to head the Lottery by then-Gov. Lincoln Almond in 1996, replaced former Senate Majority Leader John Hawkins as director. One of Aubin’s first high-profile moves as director was sell the Oldsmobile Regency Elite the lottery had purchased for Hawkins.
Since the late 1990s, the state-sponsored gambling sector has expanded into casino gambling, online wagering and sports betting. From around $90 million per year in state revenue, the lottery now accounts for nearly $400 million in annual income for the state.
Aubin, 66, is eligible to retire with an estimated monthly pension benefit of $4,420, according to Evan England, spokesman for General Treasurer Seth Magaziner.
Raimondo’s next nominee for Lottery director will need to be confirmed by the Senate.
“Director Aubin’s expertise in lottery operations has served to the benefit of all Rhode Islanders,” Senate President Dominick Ruggerio said in an email. “He was always very accessible to the members of the Senate, and we appreciate his professionalism over his many years of meritorious service. We wish him all the best in his retirement.”
https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20200306/ri-lottery-chief-aubin-to-retire