BC Liquor Stores Sell Lottery Tickets
British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has launched a pilot project to see how well lottery tickets sell in a select number of BC Liquor Stores outlets.
BCLC has said that if the project proves to be successful, it will consider expanding across multiple liquor store branches.
At present, Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max quick-pick tickets can be purchased at the Commercial Drive and Broadway and Lilooet outlets through conveniently placed terminals near the cashier's desk.
Kim Steinbart, speaking for BCLC said that, "so far, it is going well - it just began."
"It is a pilot project and will run for four to eight weeks in five stores altogether."
Lottery ticket trials are also being run at select Save-on-Foods stores.
Lottery and Liquor Stores
Buying lottery tickets in a liquor store is not a novel idea and customers in around 90 private liquor stores in the province regularly buy their lottery tickets in-store.
However, BCLC is keen to expand on the 4,000 retail outlets which sell BC lottery tickets and therefore launched the BC Liquor Stores pilot program.
BCLC will monitor sales before considering whether to make the program permanent or not.
"If the liquor stores are happy with the program, we will then look at expanding to other stores," said Steinbart.
The BC Liquor Stores retail group said that it would not be making any statement about a potential new partnership with the lottery corporation just yet.
For and Against Lottery and Liquor
As expected, the opinions among the general public are divided about the idea of purchasing lottery tickets in a liquor store.
BCLC's Steinbert said that lottery tickets are only sold to those who are 19 years old or older, the same age as in liquor stores.
"It's an age controlled environment," she pointed out. "
The Province publication interviewed Kevin Prasad of Burnaby who stepped into a liquor store to make some purchases. "I think it is brilliant, if you ask me," he said about the liquor stores selling lottery tickets. "You pick up some beer and say 'This is my lucky day' and buy a lottery ticket here."
Another customer, however, had a different opinion. "I think it is a bit much," said Tony Stark. "It is inappropriate. In here it is a bit too easy for people to be spontaneous."
