In the past few years, the legal landscape for online lottery ticket sales has changed dramatically. A number of states have passed laws that authorize online ticket sales, and more are expected to follow in the future. Some opponents of online lotteries have legitimate concerns about cannibalization, problem gambling, and state revenue. But online lottery supporters have a number of reasons to support the industry.

The first state to offer online lottery ticket sales was Illinois. A pilot program began in March of 2012. Later that year, the website expanded to include Instant Games, Daily Lottery Games, and Powerball lottery tickets.

Minnesota was the second state to offer online lottery ticket sales. However, in 2015, the lottery suspended internet sales in the state. Several other states followed suit, and now there are more than a dozen.

Despite the rocky start, the legal landscape for online lottery sales has shifted in favor of more states. There are now official lottery courier services. These services are licensed by the state and work with regulators. They only operate in states with lawful online lotteries.

For instance, the Georgia Lottery Corporation sells both draw games and instant win scratch cards online. New customers who sign up for a subscription can receive two welcome offers. One gives them 50% more bonus credits. Another allows them to get ten free games.

Players can also purchase lottery tickets in person, depending on the state. Virginia, for example, allows players to purchase lottery tickets through the lottery’s official website.