Connecticut Lottery head resigns after ticket scandal

acting head of the Connecticut Lottery Corporation has resigned following revelations of a scandal involving an instant ticket game.

President and Chairman Frank Farricker had served as head of the state lottery corporation following the resignation of the previous president, Anne Noble, in September 2016.

In January 2015, lottery officials discovered that retailers could illegally access the winning numbers of the instant ‘5 Card Cash’ game on computer screens and manipulate the tickets to ensure that they won.

However they failed to alert Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection officials for almost ten months, prompting a high level review by the state legislature and the arrests of at least fifteen lottery agents across the state.

The 5 Card Cash Game was shut down permanently by state officials at the end of 2015.

Farricker recently told a house Public Safety and Security Committee hearing that lottery chiefs "didn't serve the state very well in the way we implemented the game”.

He added that "we made a mistake in putting revenue concerns ahead of security concerns".

In a statement Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said that it was time for the lottery to reset itself, saying: “Frank has volunteered a great deal of his time and expertise to the State and has overseen a period of growth at the Lottery, even during a period of significant organizational transition.

“I also agree with him and with others who believe that a fresh start for the Lottery will help lead to even greater success in the years ahead.”