Firm Fights Losing of Lottery Ticket Contract

SACRAMENTO — The Georgia company fired from the job of printing California Lottery tickets complained Friday that the decision was based on incomplete information.

Lottery officials said that was not the case. Thursday, they ordered Scientific Games Inc. of Norcross, Ga., to immediately fire its subcontractor, Dittler Brothers of Atlanta, and make a new printing arrangement or lose a $32-million contract.

Officials said an arbitrator appointed by a Georgia court found Dittler guilty of overbilling Scientific Games for materials.

Scientific Games said it hopes to secure court permission to use its own plant in Gilroy, Calif.

Dittler, in a prepared statement, said the lottery never received “a number of significant details” about court proceedings and failed to consult Dittler.

However, lottery spokesman Bob Taylor said California officials “made the decision based upon all of the court documents.”

Dittler’s statement said the arbitrator’s decision is being contested, in part, because of an alleged conflict of interest between the arbitrator and Scientific Games.

Dittler also said it has made several other allegations against Scientific Games, including some connected with Scientific Games’ secret construction of the Gilroy plant. Scientific Games p1818324590exclusive printing contract with Dittler, according to the statement.