SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois convenience stores might reverse their opposition to an online state lottery, the State Journal-Register reports. The Illinois Association of Convenience Stores and the Illinois Petroleum Marketers?? Association thought that when the state??s lottery moves online Sunday, in-store tickets would plummet.

Bill Fleischli, the association??s executive vice president, testified before a Senate committee on Sen. Jeffrey Schoenburg??s bill, saying that convenience stores receive more income from lottery ticket customers because of other purchases made while buying tickets.

Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones hadn??t known of the retailers?? concerns until then, adding that the lottery had not intended to stop in-store ticket sales. "They never mentioned it. They never asked. And I didn??t think that was even a question because it was so clear in the law what the (Internet) test was all about," said Jones. "So I was flabbergasted."

With clarification, the association would throw its support behind Schoenburg??s bill. The association wants language commissioning studies into the impact of online lotteries on gasoline stations and convenience stores. "If all those things are there, we??ll remove our opposition to it. In fact, we??ll support it," said Fleischli.

Maryland and Massachusetts are among states considering online lotteries. The upcoming April issue of NACS Magazine features in-depth coverage of the online lottery issue and the impact on convenience stores.