Lottery will now let you 'ban' yourself

Gambling addicts can voluntarily ban themselves from collecting big cash prizes on lottery games under rules adopted Tuesday by the Iowa Lottery.

Under the new rules, people who sign self-exclusion agreements will be prohibited from entering the Iowa Lottery's five regional offices and collecting payment of any prize at those offices. Such a restriction means they can claim prizes of less than $600 while playing games at retailers, but they can't obtain payoffs anywhere on larger cash prizes.

"If somebody is willing to sign this and they understand they can't win and they can't get a refund of the products they've purchased, then what's the use in playing? Therein lies the deterrent," said Lottery Board member Tim Clausen , a Sioux City lawyer.

The Iowa Lottery is believed to be the first lottery in the United States to adopt such a ban, said Iowa Lottery Vice President Mary Neubauer. Iowa's casino industry has permitted problem gamblers to sign self-exclusion agreements for at least a decade.


http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051207/NEWS10/512070342/1011

"New Bill Offers Possibility for Massive, Massive Irony".

And, being on DU, I've read a lot of stupid things. LOL!

If someone is a gambling addict, he/she doesn't care about the winnings -- they are addicted to the act. Also, those individuals are not going to sign this agreement.

Hmmm... maybe if the Iowa lottery really wants to do something they can remove all the video-type games from the local convenience and other stores. (How many times have you watched as a parent held a child in their arms and let the child press the buttons?)

Lottery = Tax on People Who Can't Do Math

an addict can't do what they're addicted to 'just a little bit' they have to stay away from what they're addicted to 100%.

This is insanity and stupidity.

I guess anything to continue making a profit, wouldn't want to lose their best customers because of a little addiction problem...l

Well, I am sure once lottery officials in other states stop laughing they will see the pure unadorned logic of this plan and propose it to their legislatures. Probably go over well in Kansas where logic and science may be in short supply due to changes in curriculum.

The Iowa Legislature is addicted to gambling revenue. When we approved gambling in the 80s, all the money was going to go for one time projects and education. Each year a little more of the $250 to $275 million Iowa collects is funneled into the "General Fund," the state's checkbook for normal operating expenses.

I know a guy who competes with the Lottery with video machines. Some of his machines bring in $20,000 per week!!!!!! The tavern owner gets 40%, he gets 20% and the other 40% goes to taxes, license fees, permits, overhead, software updates, etc. That's a lot of groceries and other things that Iowans are not buying when they are feeding these video bandits, scratch tickets, and powerball chances. some tavern owners now make more from these video gambling machines than they do from the food and drinks they serve. Sad.

The Legislature also robs the 800-BETS-OFF fund each year too. A gambling counselor in the Quad Cities has pointed out that less than a quarter of the counseling money actually stays in the counseling fund. The rest, you guessed it, gets funneled into the "General Fund." I guess that makes all legislators who vote to transfer the money to the General Fund liars and thieves.

Iowa's economic development plan? Five more casinos! The joke is on us.

:crazy: