STAMFORD, Conn., April 23, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- South Carolina state lottery sales could be increased as much as 10 percent - or $97 million based on 2007 sales of $973 million - by making their lottery tickets available online, according to research conducted by eLottery Inc., the web-based retailer of governmental lottery tickets.
"These additional funds could be directly injected into the state's budget for education and public safety, providing a cushion at a time when economic uncertainties abound throughout the nation," according to eLottery president Michael Yacenda.
"The availability of lottery tickets online could attract up to 80 percent of the 18-to-24 and 25-to-34 demographic, an audience not currently purchasing tickets through traditional channels - grocery stores, gas stations and cigarette stores," Yacenda said.
The research also indicates that these traditional outlets would lose little if any business, as most of the new sales would come from an audience that wasn't in the market before. "These new participants indicate the key reason they'd play was the convenience of making the purchase at home or in the office, and not having to stand in a waiting line," Yacenda said.
A total of 17 states were included in the survey. Combined, all 17 states could increase lottery sales by as much as $3.964 billion if participants could purchase tickets via the Internet, according to eLottery.
eLottery, Inc. is a subsidiary of eLOT, Inc. www.elottery.com. Both are leading providers of web-based retailing and Internet marketing services to governmental lotteries. eLottery has positioned itself as the proven Internet partner to lead the government lottery into the e-commerce market. The company offers the only patented online transaction and information system to authorized state and government lottery operators.
(States surveyed include: CA, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, NJ, OH, PA, TX, VA, TN, SC, MO, IN, MD, CT.)