Hoosier Lottery To Not Target Low-Income Neighborhoods
By: Kristin Mazur
Updated: February 11, 2013
Now, more than ever, the Hoosier Lottery is hoping you take a chance on Lady Luck.
Lottery officials say they're trying to up revenue, but won't do it on the backs of those who can least afford it.
Right now, there's a little over 3900
"We stand behind a policy that we will not actively target retailers in areas where the income median is below 60 percent of the median income for the state" says Hoosier Lottery Executive Director Karl Browning.
Browning says that while they need to drastically boost state lottery revenues, they won't target low-income neighborhoods to do so.
"Part of the lottery's long-standing policy has been to promote fun games but to do so responsibly" he says.
But, will the move stop poorer residents from gambling?
Jeff Smith doesn't think so. Smith works at the Sparky Mart near Coliseum Boulevard and U.S. 30 in Fort Wayne .
"Most people are responsible. We have some that come in here and buy one, two, three-dollar tickets and they'll be playing til they get some (money) back" says Smith.


