Lottery gross sales in Massachusetts have been down in September $40.3 million or 8.9% in comparison with September 2021 and each single product was was decrease for the month.
Through one quarter of fiscal yr 2023, Lottery gross sales are down $60.6 million or 3.8% in comparison with the identical time interval final yr, Interim Executive Director Mark William Bracken instructed the Lottery Commission throughout its latest assembly.
The decrease gross sales are pushed by inflation and it’s one thing affecting lotteries throughout the nation, Bracken stated.
In Massachusetts, scratch ticket gross sales, which make up about 67% of the Lottery’s enterprise and are down $70.4 million or 6.7% thus far this finances yr.
Neighboring states are seeing the identical, Bracken stated: scratch ticket gross sales are down 6% in New Hampshire, down 6.7% in New York, down 9.2% in Connecticut, down 10.9% in Vermont and down 12.4% in Rhode Island.
Another union rejects rail deal
A Second union rejected a cope with the main U.S. freight railroads on Wednesday, reflecting staff’ growing frustration with the dearth of paid sick time within the trade and including to issues about the potential for a strike subsequent month.
The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen stated almost 61% of the employees who voted opposed the five-year contract although it included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. It is the second rail union to reject a deal this month.
Union President Michael Baldwin stated the “lack of good-faith bargaining” by the railroads and the suggestions of a board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed this summer season denied staff the “basic right of paid time off for illness.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”