Commissions to 3,000+ Lottery retailers help drive Arizona’s economy forward

PHOENIX (Oct. 15, 2019) – On the heels of a $1.076 billion record sales year in fiscal year 2019, the Arizona Lottery today has announced that retailers have earned more than $1 billion in commissions on the tickets they’ve sold since the Lottery’s inception in 1981. Arizona’s more than 3,000 Lottery retailers receive a 6.5% commission on every ticket they sell, increasing their revenues and helping them to grow.

Jaswinder Singh, whose family’s stores have been Arizona Lottery retailers for more than 20 years, has grown to six locations and employs over 30 people.

“The commission that the Arizona Lottery pays us when we sell their tickets really helps out, especially in generating the extra revenue we need to expand our business, open new locations and hire new employees,” says Singh. “The money we make by being Arizona Lottery retailers also helps us to give back to our community, and our customers really appreciate the opportunity to play, especially during the holidays.”

Retailer commissions have long been a vital driver to Arizona’s economic engine, providing communities increased opportunities for job growth and business development.

“Our valued retailer partners play a pivotal role in the Arizona Lottery’s record-breaking sales and our record-breaking transfers back to our beneficiaries,” said Arizona Lottery Executive Director Gregg Edgar. “As our first point of contact with our players, retailers help to educate and connect them to the fun and excitement of our games while generating hundreds of millions of dollars every year that fund critical programs across the state. This milestone is a great opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ to all of our retailers who drive the Lottery’s ability to give back to Arizona.” 

Those programs include the Arizona Board of Regents’ University Bond Fund, which pays to build and maintain critical public higher education infrastructure; Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, a group that facilitates volunteers who speak for abused and neglected children in court; and the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Heritage Fund, preserving and protecting our state’s unique wildlife for future generations.

In fiscal year 2019 alone, the Arizona Lottery paid more than $73 million in retail commissions and generated $230 million for state programs that might otherwise rely on tax dollars for their funding.