Here’s a question that just came our way from a player who wondered why he was carded at a local convenience store as he was buying lottery tickets.
The man said he’s clearly not 21 – in fact, he’s over 50 – and he still had to show his I.D.
There’s a real-world reason behind that workplace policy: Stores ask customers to verify their age before buying certain products as a way to protect their ability to do business.
Lottery tickets are an age-controlled product, meaning that you have to be a certain age before you can purchase them. Here in Iowa, the minimum purchasing age for lottery tickets is 21.
Retail locations receive licenses to sell age-controlled products, and one of the requirements of those licenses is that they enforce the minimum purchasing age. A business license will be suspended or even revoked if they violate its terms, and some stores therefore choose to I.D. everyone, not just those they think may be under 21.
Losing any business license would have a huge financial impact on the location involved, likely limiting for an extended period of time the products it can sell.
We support our retailers’ decisions to take a careful approach!
So if you’re asked for an I.D. when you buy lottery tickets, know that the store is doing the right thing. (And if you think it’s obvious you don’t look 21, maybe just have fun in that moment!)
Yes I have noticed this as well. It is interesting that even if you purchase a ticket at a chain store some do and some don’t. This is the puzzling part so your response deems more explanation as to why.
Posted by: Steve McCann | September 23, 2023 at 10:51 AM