Lottery Grants Supplier an Extension on Firing Printing Firm

Scientific Games Inc., which had been given until Friday to fire a Georgia printing subcontractor found guilty of fraud or lose its contract to supply $32 million in California Lottery tickets, won a brief extension as the clock ran out.

Lottery Director Mark Michalko announced late Friday that he was acceding to the request by Scientific Games to postpone the deadline until after a Monday hearing in Georgia on whether the firm may legally sever its contract with Dittler Bros., the printer.

Michalko and the five-member Lottery Commission decided June 12 that tickets printed by Dittler would no longer be accepted. Scientific Games had a week to assure the commission that it can supply scratch-off tickets for games 9 through 16 without using Dittler.

If Fulton County, Ga., Superior Court Judge Osgood Williams grants the contractual freedom as expected, Scientific Games will be able to begin printing tickets in the plant it has built and ready in Gilroy, Calif.

Michalko said he was granting the extension, because the court-appointed auditor who has been assessing the dispute between Scientific Games and Dittler has been out of the country.

In any event, Michalko said, “I am prepared to act expeditiously next week to assure continued supply of tickets and the efficient operation of our instant ticket games.”