NC lawmakers want to keep people on welfare away from the lottery

Looks like one avenue out of poverty, bankruptcy and welfare might be blocked off in North Carolina. Lawmakers are moving ahead on proposals to prohibit merchants from selling lottery tickets to customers on welfare, as well as those in bankruptcy. In addition, Rep. Paul Stam wants to take the word "education" out of the name of one game that benefits school funding because the lottery is "essentially a scam." The pushback has already begun, mostly from vendors who don't feel it's their business to probe the choices and finances of food-stamp users. But there's bound to backlash from welfare recipients, too, who figure their best chance at escape is playing the numbers. [Source]

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