Could Longer Lines Be Coming to Your Local Post Office…Lottery Lines?
Filed under Ideas Worth Exploring
Tags: Ideas, new business, Retail, services
According to a representative on the Postal Regulatory Commission’s staff, a Postal Service-run lottery “could offer the potential for substantial profits for the Postal Service and utilize its current retail infrastructure with its 36,000 retail outlets.” Popular lottery formats in many states include drawings and instant lottery tickets.
The claim is that running a national lottery could help the U.S. Postal Service close its multibillion-dollar budget gap. It could also build foot traffic to post offices, increasing retail sales of postal products.
A lottery might bring in a lot of revenue, but would it also bring more problems?
Loading ... Loading ...- A lottery, like any form of gambling, is susceptible to fraud, despite the high degree of scrutiny claimed by the organizers.
- Lines at many lottery depots can be long when jackpots are high—stretching around corners. Adding lottery customers to the lines at post offices could have a negative impact on regular customers who are not lottery players.
- How would the states react to the Postal Service joining the business of selling lottery tickets? Would the ability to reach out to such a large audience (through 36,000 retail units) take money from state lotteries, a number of which earmark revenues for education and social programs?
- Who would run the lottery operations? Is Postal Service management equipped for such an endeavor?
What do you think?
This topic is hosted by the OIG’s Risk Analysis Research Center (RARC).
26 Responses to “Could Longer Lines Be Coming to Your Local Post Office…Lottery Lines?”
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March 1st, 2010 at 10:43 pm
I don’t think this would go through unless a change in the law by Congress occurs anytime soon. CFR 39, § 232.1 (f) expressly prohibits Gambling. It states:p “Participating in games for money or other personal property, the operation of gambling devices, the conduct of a lottery or pool, or the selling or purchasing of lottery tickets, is prohibited on postal premises. This prohibition does not apply to the vending or exchange of State Lottery tickets at vending facilities operated by licensed blind persons where such lotteries are authorized by state law..” So, I’m confused as to why the USPS would pursue something that is expressly prohibited by law under current regulations…
March 1st, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Bad idea. The Post offices cannot handle the current lines right now. They are frequently long due to the fact that they only have 2 windows open, although they have 4 windows in the building!! Sometimes there’s only one clerk at the window, with a long line. How do they think they’ll be able to handle lottery customers too?!!! I just recently stood in line at a post office for 55minutes with two SLOW clerks at the window!!!!! BAD IDEA!!
March 1st, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Go for it….we need all the revenue we can get. If we are going to really think outside of the box this is a good start. Lets toss in pre-paid phone cards, wire transfers overseas, bill pay, and we have a good base to start.
March 1st, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Go for it!!!! From a bagaining employee’s perspective it is a total winner. More hours for the Clerks, Function 4 and maybe more employee’s. I dont see why anybody wouldn’t welcome more hours to their craft!!!!
March 1st, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Just add beer and cigarettes and we’ll put the minimarts right out of business! Do you really want to take away the little pride we may have left about being a Postal employee? I hope you offer me a big early out before trying to force me to sell lottery tickets at the window!
March 1st, 2010 at 4:03 pm
This is such a bad idea. But, if the USPS was taken back into the Government like pre 1970s days, they could maybe provide other services like they used to. I seem to remember people would pick up their food stamps there. They could actually utilize the employees, who cannot be laid off, by providing this and other social services through the window service.
If they were really serious though, the USPS would go ahead and offer a real incentive to retire, like a full years salary to the groups with excess employees. Even half a years salary would have been more successful than last years incentive retirement deal.
Right now, mgmt is excessing people from their part time and full time positions, and excessing people from the installation. If they timed another incentive, and offered $25,000-$30,000, many of these people would leave happily.
since we are on the early out subject. Can the OIGs explain why the USPS offered an early out in 2003, then turned around and hired thousands of people to replace them? Those are now the people who need to be off the roles, but can’t be laid off.
Whoever gave permission to hire after that early out Should be fired for what its now costing the USPS. But I am sure that Einstein got a promotion instead. Because we all now that EAS and PCES is operated by the Peter Principle.
March 1st, 2010 at 2:47 pm
I wonder if the usps will bring back the workers they removed for buying lottery tickets on their breaks
March 1st, 2010 at 11:37 am
Postal management cannot adequately deter embezzlements currently because the POS system does not have “individual” accountabilty. Lottery sales should generate greater revenue than over the counter postal sales. Why should one believe the revenue would be any more likely to make it to the bank than it does currently?
March 1st, 2010 at 11:27 am
Too many gambling options already. Gambling is never a quick fix, either for the buyer, or the seller. It is immoral and the country is becoming a country of compulsive gamblers, and with it MANY social problems. BAD IDEA.
March 1st, 2010 at 10:31 am
Sure why not! Afterall, like Warren Buffett remarked
about the “Too Big To Fail” Financial Institutions,
just today. “The folks who caused this should suffer
the consequences!” Folks like Ginne/Fannie Mae too.
Is the USPS “too big to fail”? Heck No!
So before you start employing “derivatives” into your existing business plans, you had better be prepared to manage the risks. Since you are considering selling games of chance on you’re property, why don’t you hand out prescription drugs as well? Just install
a kiosk & “viola”, “geritol/viagra on the run”. Mostly because your primary window customer base is 45 and older, who need prescription drugs to offset the sin/aches and pains of their youth.
Unless you are including the pencil/crayon and paper
under 44 crowd who does not trust technology because Mr. Big is watching!!
Which he is anyway, so stop worrying.
I can see it now. Next you’ll have a “USPS players club” card which includes a free latte’ when you buy a lottery ticket at the PO while picking up your insulin and your forever stamp.
Stick to your plan.”We deliver”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Which reminds me about that whole logo?
You’re in the postage business right?
When does the money become an asset?
When the postage/lottery ticket is printed?
When the postage/lottery ticket is sold?
When the postage/lottery ticket is cancelled?
Or, when the postage/lottery ticket is budgeted?