Keno-Style Lottery Game to Start in November

Despite objections from several law enforcement organizations, the California Lottery Commission approved the format of a new, fast action keno-style game Wednesday, setting the stage for its introduction in mid-November.

The decision to go ahead with the game came on a unanimous vote and without any discussion of law enforcement complaints.

“We had already said all there was to say,” said Joanne McNabb, the lottery’s public affairs director. “This is not a video game and we do not expect it to cause a law enforcement problem.”

She said California’s version of keno is patterned after similar games in Oregon and Rhode Island, where there have been no reports of increased law enforcement problems.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block, the California Police Chiefs Assn. and the California State Sheriffs’ Assn. have opposed the introduction of the game. In a letter to Gov. Pete Wilson, Block said he feared the frequency of the games--a new one every five minutes--”will cause people to loiter around the game locations to await results and to continue playing.”

To play, customers will pick from one to 10 numbers out of a field of 80. Each play costs $1.

A master computer in Sacramento will draw 20 numbers and telecast them to televisions in each outlet. Players win prizes according to how many of their numbers are drawn.

For example, if a player chooses 10 numbers, he will win a prize if his play card matches five to 10 of the numbers. He also will win a prize if he has no matches. However, if he has from one to four matches he wins nothing.

McNabb said the amount of the prize depends on the probability. She said the highest prize of $250,000 will be awarded for picking 10 numbers and matching all of them.

She said new drawings will be held every five minutes from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m.