This PLAN to increase Lottery revenue (5 to 10 million dollars per year by arranging voluntary compliance by the Retailers to keep the machines turned on sell tickets till 11:45 PM everyday - a vast majority of them all over the State are shutting down Sales at 9:30 or 10 PM, and some as early as 6PM on Sunday, due to laziness by the Retailer and lack of "Direction" by the Lottery) has been submitted to the Lottery, the Attorney General, the Governor, and others, without any response or concern. The Lottery has a fiduciary duty to make as much money as possible for the State and is not doing so through this and other "errors". This PLAN, while correcting the Lottery's sloppy management of it's own guidelines and raising the position of the new "Director" from political hack to actual Director, has been snubbed by those mentioned above and certain individuals in the Lottery who do not understand the meaning of phrases like "common sense" or "the right thing to do". Especially when the resulting improvement in the Lottery's bottom line and image would come at no significant cost to the Lottery. They also don't seem to understand that this PLAN does not force the Retailers to do anything! Many Retailers have already indicated that they would be willing to comply if customers began expecting or asking to be sold tickets after 9 or 10 PM. The PLAN would do that, and more. None of this applies, of course, to machined stores or offices that close down completely before 9 or 10 PM.

BASIC 3-STEP LOTTERY PLAN

PLAN to arrange voluntary compliance (not force) by all Retailers to keep machines on for ticket sales the full allotted time of 4:30 AM to 11:45 PM everyday. This will also eliminate the practice of many who also stop selling scratch-offs after 9 or 10 PM. Goal: 100% compliance as a result of "customer interaction" and an apparent willingness by Retailers to comply - based on a small survey. A separate proposal has been made to the Lottery that would pay the Retailers more money at no additional cost to the Lottery. This is optional, but if done, would further contribute to the projected near-100% voluntary compliance.

Step 1: Lottery puts out an "Edict" or Request to all Retailers and Terminals to keep machines on the full allotted and advertised Sales time of 4:30 AM to 11:45 PM everyday - especially the late-evening Sales period. (This, of course, would not apply to the stores or offices that completely close before 11:45 PM.) The Lottery is free to add any improvements of it's own to this PLAN.

Step 2: The Lottery puts a notice on all tickets "amber alert" style (as it already routinely does with announcements) that simply says: "All tickets should be available for purchase now the full official time of 4:30 AM to 11:45 PM." This can be run for 30 or 60 days (and intermittently thereafter) so that everyone in Indiana knows about the availability immediately.

Step 3: The Lottery lets the Media (Radio and T.V.) know about it's intention and the PLAN. They will announce this PLAN and request for compliance, etc., for free as a news item - which it is. They will also like to promote the positive economic effect it should have for the State. The Lottery should also re-print the "Sales Cut-Off Times" sheet and add "same-day drawings only" to the Times so it is clear that subsequent drawing tickets can still be purchased until 11:45 PM. And the "amber alert" style line in Step 2 should be printed on all circulars - and displayed!

All of this should cost the Lottery virtually nothing, result in hopefully 100% compliance, and increase over-all Sales significantly. And why not put a phone # on the tickets (in Step 2) so customers can report any Retailers who won't sell? The Lottery has "experimented" many times. This PLAN should be tried for at least two years. Indiana will cause the Country's entire Lottery network to make more money. Once Indiana does it, the other States will follow!

Felix Berger