ND lottery is 10 years old

Minot (N.D.) Daily News: Ten years ago, the North Dakota Lottery opened for business, with Minot Rep. Andy Maragos purchasing the first ticket after spearheading a successful initiative to put the lottery measure on the ballot in November 2002.

Voters approved amending the state constitution to allow the introduction of Powerball, and Maragos bought the first ticket on March 25, 2004. The state now has five lottery games, with cumulative sales of more than $215 million since the first ticket was sold, according to state officials.

Even though voters approved the lottery back in 2002, there have always been those opposed to the game.

Supporters say that $56 million has gone into the state’s general treasury since the lottery began, with $2.5 million provided for drug enforcement and $2 million allocated to provide counseling for gambling addicts.

The people spoke in 2002, and the lottery continues to grow in North Dakota. Clearly, it’s something residents here still want, and that means it’s not going anywhere.