If one goes to the Maryland Lottery website (www.mdlottery.com), it offers retailers several different incentives to carry lottery products that could be problematic from a public policy standpoint.  First, it touts the 5.5% commission on sales, along with another 3% for cashing lottery tickets (for “Retailer-Plus” outlets).  This might not be an incentive for retailers to deter underage consumers from buying tickets.  State policy makers should investigate the number of citations issued to retailers, for sales of products to minors.

Another strategy used to entice retailers to Maryland Lottery products is the promise that it will “drive traffic” to their stores (to help increase sales).  If one examines the list of approximately 170 “Retailer-Plus” locations listed throughout the state, 51% (or more) of these sites sell liquor.  This begs the question of whether it is sound state policy to help drive traffic to (and sales at) liquor stores (given concerns over alcohol abuse)? Is this the sort of practice that is in line with the Governor’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program? Perhaps, the above marketing strategy is something that the State Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse should examine as well?

The other aspects of lottery marketing in Maryland that should be reconsidered are the use of sports teams and events to promote sales (given the number of minors that are in attendance at events, like Oriole’s games).  Moreover, what are the implications of where certain lottery dispensers are located/positioned in stores, like the one shown above, in a Safeway that is a flew blocks from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.