West Virginia Lottery bounces back after COVID-19 but warns of further disruption

West Virginia Lottery’s revenue streams are returning to normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, says Director John Myers
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West Virginia Lottery’s revenue streams are returning to normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, says Director John Myers, but further disruption could be on the horizon. 

According to The Herald Dispatch, the reopening of casinos and the reintroduction of Limited Video lotteries around the state in bars and clubs, which were closed down throughout the pandemic, has contributed to the comeback of revenue.

Revenue grew by $1.74m in June 2021 from the previous year up to $105.48m. This revenue pushed Lottery gross revenue for the fiscal year back over the $1bn mark, to $1.17bn. 

However, there are warnings that the increasing spread of COVID-19, specifically the delta variant, could threaten the state’s lottery corporation. 

Myers commented: “Hopefully it keeps moving in this direction.

“We have proven we can operate while taking the necessary safety precautions.”

Limited Video Lottery is the main source of income for the lottery across its four state race-track casinos. In June, video lotteries pulled in over $40m per venue. 

This comes after the pandemic forced closures of state casinos and limited video lottery parlors, which forced gross revenue for 2019-20 to plummet to $955m. The drop below $1bn broke an 18-year streak of consistently hitting the seven-figure target. 

The Commission Chairman, Ken Greear, told The Herald Dispatch that the returning revenues is a significant milestone in the backdrop of the pandemic. 

“If you look at the past year, and what everyone has gone through … $1 bn in sales is a heck of an accomplishment,” he said.