$9.6M slice of Nebraska lottery proceeds goes to state entities

LINCOLN —  The latest quarterly share of Nebraska-sold Scratch and Lotto game tickets, $9.6 million, has been distributed to entities including the state fair and an environmental trust fund.

Roughly 25 cents of every dollar spent on Nebraska lottery tickets goes to state beneficiaries. Since the Nebraska Lottery began in 1993, more than $1 billion has been distributed to beneficiaries.

The latest payments derived from a share of ticket sales for the previous three months were made the week of July 3, said a statement from the Nebraska Lottery, a division within the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The breakdown of that $9,622,092: $4.28 million apiece to the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund and education-related programs as directed by the Legislature; $962,209 to the Nebraska State Fair support and improvement fund, $96,221 to a problem gamblers assistance fund.

The state earlier had been transferring money from the Environmental Trust Fund to help close budget shortfalls, but a district court judge on June 29 granted a temporary motion blocking the state from doing that until a lawsuit challenging the transfers plays out.

District judge blocks Nebraska Environmental Trust diversions as lawsuit plays out

Two former state officials are seeking to declare as unconstitutional $28.52 million in legislatively authorized transfers in lottery proceeds that had been directed to the Environmental Trust but later diverted for purposes the lawsuit said voters did not intend. The judge’s order blocked further spending of already transferred Environmental Trust funds as well as any of the $8 million that was to be transferred this year and next.

State officials say the lottery’s mission is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. They say that all the state’s 93 counties have benefited from projects funded with lottery proceeds.

A constitutional amendment passed by Nebraska voters in 2004 established a funding distribution formula used today: 44.5% each to the Environmental Trust and education funds, 10% to the state fair, and 1% for gamblers assistance.