Holiday scratch-off tickets surpass $2 billion in sales

Holiday scratch-off tickets are a popular stocking stuffer. Illinoisans dropped about $2 billion on tickets in a year, and it’s the biggest moneymaker for the Illinois Lottery.

Illinoisans bought more than $2 billion of scratch-off tickets in fiscal year 2024. Scratch-off lottery games, a common stocking stuffer, make up most of the Illinois Lottery’s sales.

Total lottery tax revenue reached $886 million, the highest source of gaming revenue with video gaming at a close second. While lottery revenue is the highest, it hasn’t grown much in the past decade, at least not the way video gaming and sports betting have.

The lottery boasts its revenue funds schools as well as good causes such as the Special Olympics or Alzheimer’s research. But money is fungible, meaning for every new dollar the lottery brings in for a good cause, Illinois lawmaker can take a dollar out that they spend on other things.

The revenue enables lawmakers’ poor spending habits because the new revenue is not nearly enough to combat Illinois’ pension debt, which in total is $143.7 billion. Constitutional pension reform would fully fund retirements for state employees and stop politicians from constantly looking for new revenue and gambling with residents’ ability to stay in Illinois.