JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Lottery voted Thursday to ban retailers from selling more than $10,000 worth of tickets to one person in a 24-hour period.

The lottery had a cap on tickets previously, but it was removed as part of former Gov. Eric Greitens effort to reduce government regulations. The Lottery Commission voted unanimously Thursday to reinstate the cap, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

May Scheve, Missouri Lottery executive director, acknowledged it is rare for someone to buy $10,000 worth of tickets. But she said the agency believes the cap could stop people from buying a large number of tickets in hopes of winning a major prize.

Scheve also said the sale of lottery scratch-off tickets has rebounded after a downturn in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sales at the lottery are up by $119 million, or 17% over the same period a year ago, she told the commission.

Multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions, however, are down nearly 15%.

Scheve said the increase likely will mean about $30 million more for the state’s schools.

https://www.ktlo.com/2020/12/17/missouri-lottery-reinstating-limits-on-ticket-purchases/