Senate President Andy Gardiner wants the Florida Lottery included in discussions about the future of gambling in the state.
The Orlando Republican called the lottery “a pretty big numbers racket.”
The lottery agency reported $5.36 billion in sales for the fiscal year that ended June 30, up from $5 billion a year earlier.
Gov. Rick Scott credited Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell for the increase in sales in a statement announcing her reappointment.
“Under Secretary O’Connell’s leadership, the Florida Lottery brought in record sales resulting in an all-time record transfer to Florida’s Education Enhancement Trust Fund,” Scott said.
He initially promoted O’Connell to the head of the state lottery from her position as the lottery’s research and promotions director in February 2011. At the time, the agency’s annual sales had just reached $3.7 million.
Hours before Scott’s announcement, Gardiner told reporters he had directed Senate Regulated Industries Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, to include the lottery in talks on the expansion of gaming in Florida.
“I’ve been pretty consistent that we focus on all these different things,’’ Gardiner said. “But at the end of the day the state of Florida runs a pretty big numbers racket. And we should understand where they are, we should understand what their future is, and we should understand their expansion.”
The lottery had been kept apart from the Legislature’s review of potential casinos and other gambling during the 2013 and 2014 sessions.
This isn’t the first time Gardiner has pushed to have more outside eyes on the lottery. When lawmakers briefly discussed creating a five-member gaming commission before the start of the 2014 session, Gardiner recommended the lottery be placed under the board’s oversight.