While some state lotteries have allowed the sale of lottery tickets online, others do not. While offshore lottery providers can sell tickets, they are not regulated in the United States. To play the lottery legally, you need to buy tickets from the state’s official lottery provider. Only state lotteries can pay winners, and these websites use geolocation software to verify that you live in the state you’re playing in. If you’re unsure whether the lottery’s official website is safe, you can always purchase a ticket from a third party agent.
Most US states permit online sales of lottery tickets, although some have restrictions. Some states require physical presence while others do not. These laws vary from state to state. The first state to allow online lottery sales was Illinois, in March 2012. Since then, there have been several states that have allowed online lottery sales. In Pennsylvania, for example, the lottery fund has been raised to allow online games. In other states, lottery sales have increased. In these cases, the state government has been able to keep up with the demand and remain profitable.
Online lottery sales provide increased revenue for lottery officials, while convenience for lottery fans is another reason. Online lottery subscriptions allow lottery players to buy tickets for each drawing in advance. These subscriptions cost the same as in-person lottery subscriptions. Anti-gambling groups are opposed to any expansion of the lottery, but the convenience of online subscriptions is an increasingly popular option for players. Moreover, some lottery sites also offer instant-win games, which can be played online.