Lottery to debut next year

Thursday, July 10, 2003 | 9:51 a.m.

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota plans to launch its new state lottery early next year, the state's interim lottery director said.

"I know there's a lot of pent-up demand by the public for it," Chuck Keller said Wednesday. "I believe we are on track, but the public needs to understand that it is a very time-consuming process, especially since we are developing something from scratch."

North Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment last November allowing the state to enter a multistate lottery, and the state Legislature approved a new law to regulate ticket sales.

North Dakota will join 23 other states in the Powerball multistate game, in which South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana are also members.

Keller said the state plans to start North Dakota's state lottery in the first quarter of 2004.

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