I had not heard about this. Take a look at what Dollar General has cooked-up with the Texas Lottery:
Since early November, Texans have been able to buy lottery tickets in the checkout lanes of the state's more than 1,500 Dollar General stores. Shoppers at the discount giant can now grab Powerball and Mega Millions tickets while in line to pay for their other purchases. Clusters of $4 and $10 game tickets reminiscent of gift cards hang from a colorful jackpot display by the register, virtually impossible to overlook.
Other larger retailers in Texas also sell lottery tickets, but customers must buy them at the stores' service centers or through cash-only vending machines. The Texas Lottery plans to expand its practices with Dollar General, the nation's first "in-lane" offering of lottery tickets, to other big-box retailers, beginning later this year. Several other states also are moving toward the practice, long a lottery industry priority.
Uggggh.
Making it even easier for gambling addictions to be fed.
And making it even easier for people with little to no extra money to spend that little to no extra money on a fart-in-the-wind chance of winning big bucks.
Note those 5 words I underlined above: "long a lottery industry priority". Of course, it's a priority! Those cats are ecstatic about having their tix in 1,500 Dollar Generals. They are foaming-at-the-mouth for this to expand to other checkout lines.
And other State Lottery organizations are watching.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt