Lottery officials sought a change in the state law because of Powerball game lottery expansion into Australia in 2021 and Britain in 2022, the Associated Press reported.
Idaho is pulling out of the Powerball after a 32-year run after the lottery announced it would extend to Australia this year and Britain in 2022, the Associated Press reported.
On Wednesday, Idaho lawmakers killed legislation with a 10-4 vote by the Legislature’s House State Affairs Committee that would have allowed the game to continue in the state, the AP wrote. The state’s last Powerball drawing will be Aug. 23, the report said.
The move comes after Idaho lottery officials sought a change in the state law because of the expansion into Australia and Britain. Current Idaho law only allows lotteries the state that are played by people in the U.S. and Canada, AP reported.
Some Republicans feared that the countries joining may use revenue generated for government coffers to back causes that they may oppose. Republican Rep. Heather Scott (R-Blanchard) used gun control as an example. While some Democrats that felt strongly that the game has been good for business and state education will no longer be as viable, USA Today reported.
The money generated from Powerball ticket sales is held in trust until there’s a winner. The addition of two new countries and more players is expected to increase jackpot sizes. However, some Idaho lawmakers were fearful that the chances of an Idaho resident winning the jackpot would be greatly reduced with more players, the AP reported.
Idaho was one of the first states to join Powerball in the 1990s. The lottery that is run by the Multi-State Lottery Association has since grown to include 45 states, two U.S. territories and Washington, D.C, KTVB7 News reported.
The game generates about $28 million in sales annually in the state, with schools receiving about $14 million per year, according to Idaho Lottery officials, a report said.
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