The
Minneapolis-St. Paul airport may soon allow travelers to buy lottery tickets
via the 2,500 iPads available in the main terminal.
The airport
iPads have already proved very useful to terminal visitors, allowing them to
check flight times, browse the internet, and even order food. The Metropolitan
Airport Commission is now considering adapting the devices to permit passengers
to use them to buy Powerball and Mega Millions lottery tickets as well as electronically
simulated scratch-off tickets.
The idea
was suggested by the New York-based company, OTG Management. The company
operates all the food and beverage concessions at the Minneapolis-St. Paul
airport and is keen to expand their influence into other areas.
The
airports commission were going approve the idea at a recent meeting, but tabled it when concerns were raised about the
possible impact the expansion might have on the airport's existing lottery
sales. The non-profit Airport Foundation currently operates a kiosk situated in
the airport's main shopping area. It already sells Powerball, Mega Millions and
scratch off tickets. Airport vending machines provide a further source of
scratch-off tickets.
"We
just want to make sure that nothing we do negatively impacts the Foundation,
and that we know what we're getting into with this," said airport
commission member, Paul Rehkamp.
The
proceeds from iPad lottery sales would
be divided in several ways. OTG and the
firm involved with the technology would get 5 percent, the airport would
receive twice that amount, and the rest would go to the Minnesota Lottery.
