TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – A bill that would have required warnings on all Florida Lottery tickets will not become a law.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the bill Friday.
In a memo that accompanied the veto, DeSantis explained that Florida Lottery revenue goes to public education and that an agency analysis showed the bill could lead to a minimum $79.4 million reduction in education funding.
A legislative staff analysis of the bill says annual Florida Lottery sales have grown to exceed $6 billion. The bill would have required vendors to place one of the following warnings prominently on the front of all lottery tickets: “WARNING: LOTTERY GAMES MAY BE ADDICTIVE.” or “PLAY RESPONSIBLY.”
The Florida Lottery already encourages customers to “Play Responsibly” and widely advertises a toll-free phone number for a referral service to assist people with gambling problems.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.
