By Greg Hinz
August 15, 2014
The bumpy marriage between the state and the private company that operates the Illinois Lottery is ending in a divorce.
Gov. Pat Quinn’s office confirmed to me today that it is ending its contract with Northstar Lottery Group LLC to operate the $2 billion-a-year lottery system, seven years earlier than scheduled.
It is not yet certain whether the separation will be voluntary by both parties, but a decision to end the contract has been made.
“The governor’s office has directed the lottery to end its relationship with Northstar,” gubernatorial spokesman Grant Klinzman said in an email that he later verified in a brief phone conversation. “The administration has had serious concerns with Northstar’s performance. The governor demands every state contractor be held accountable for their performance.”