The Florida Lottery is considering selling lottery tickets online or at ticket terminals installed alongside automated teller machines.
Many Republicans including Gov. Rick Scott oppose selling tickets online. Yet lottery officials have asked companies seeking a multi-million dollar contract with the state to prove that they could sell tickets on the Internet or at bank machines, gas pumps and even on handheld terminals.
Lottery spokeswoman Connie Barnes says while there no "plans at this time" to allow online sales, they wanted more information about technology being utilized elsewhere.
Scott last year asked Congress to make it clear that federal law bans online lottery ticket sales, warning that Internet gambling "could invade the homes of every American family."
State Sen. Rob Bradley says he would oppose any effort by the Lottery to expand the way it sells tickets.
