Illinois governor chooses private company with close ties to state lottery to manage the lotto

Ill. governor picks private company to run lottery

CHICAGO — Illinois’ governor has awarded a lucrative, first-of-its-kind contract to manage the Illinois Lottery to a private company with strong ties to the lotto.

The move on Wednesday hands over daily control to of the $2 billion games for 10 years to some of the most powerful players in the business.

Illinois will be the first state to entirely privatize the management and marketing of its lottery, a move mandated by legislators as a way to help boost revenue and attract new players. The state will retain ownership and regulatory oversight.

Gov. Pat Quinn says that hiring a private manager to run the lottery is a creative way to increase revenue.

Northstar beat out one other finalist, Camelot Group, which runs the United Kingdom Lottery.