CASPER – Officials for Wyoming’s new lottery, which is scheduled to kickoff February 2014, are projecting that it will generate $20 million for the state during its first year, the Casper Star-Tribune reports.

The figure is based on estimates that the state’s lottery board submitted to the state Legislature, said Brian Scott Gamroth, lottery board chairman. “Keep in mind again these are all approximate and this is not testament to any kind of schedule that we have developed or announced,” Gamroth said.

The board is in the process of adopting a budget, hiring staff, securing office space, and deciding whether to opt in to a multistate lottery. 

“As we take a look at multistate lotteries, you have greater payouts,” Gamroth said, using a recent $600 million Powerball winner as an example.

“A Wyoming state lottery, developed for and by Wyoming, it would take years for that to get to a $600 million level.”

State lawmakers passed a bill this spring legalizing a lottery, and it took effect July 1.