The Idaho Lottery has announced it will continue to offer the Powerball draw in the state after the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) stated the game’s international expansion had been delayed.
Back in March, Idaho declared that its state lottery will no longer participate in the Powerball draw as a result of the decision by the MUSL, the game’s operator, to expand it internationally to Australia and the United Kingdom.
However, on April 20, the lottery association informed its members, including the Idaho Lottery, that the decision to begin international sales of Powerball had been delayed until sometime in 2022.
The MUSL said in a statement: “International sales of Powerball has been delayed. The issues of offering this game outside the United States are complex. There is no defined timeline for a decision, however, any decision will ultimately be determined by a vote of all 38 members of the Powerball Product Group.”
Idaho is a voting member of the Powerball Product Group.
Idaho Lottery Director Jeff Anderson commented: “Freedom to play Powerball is restored. This is a game that Idahoans have enjoyed for three decades. The voters of Idaho created the lottery in 1989 after an initiative was placed on the ballot by the Idaho Legislature which received an affirmative vote of the people in the 1988 general election. Shortly thereafter, Idaho was one of the 13 original states that created Powerball in February 1992.”
Idaho announced in March that it would cease to offer the Powerball draw as early as August 2021 after a proposed change to its current state law was rejected by a legislative committee.
Since then, the lottery has received an outpouring of public support for the game from players, retailers who sell lottery tickets, and the beneficiaries supported by lottery dividends. Retailers earn about $1.5m from the sale of Powerball tickets while the game delivers $14m in dividends to the Gem State’s public schools and buildings each year.
Anderson added: “We believe that international sales of Powerball are inevitable and Idaho law will have to be changed in 2022 for players to remain able to enjoy the world’s most popular lottery game. We will continue to responsibly work with the Idaho Legislature, our players, and our retailers to ensure Idahoans have the freedom to enjoy Powerball in Idaho.”
