Ohio Lottery will accept credit cards, but only at machines. Watch the video below.

You cruise up to the lotto store and plunk down your tickets. Then you make small chat with the counter staff. And now's the time to pay.

You pull out your credit card, but they hand it back to you. "Sorry, we can't accept credit cards for lottery tickets."

Most lotteries around the world won't accept credit cards. They will only take cash or debit card payment.

There are several reasons for this:

Government agencies are not permitted to pay the credit card fees and commissions for this type of payment.

In the United States, gambling is regulated by state law. So the regulations in separate states determine whether you can buy lottery tickets with plastic.

Luckily there is an alternative answer. A debit card or EftPos card.

Just 20 states allow lottery purchases with credit cards, and seven of those leave the decision up to retailers, according to creditcards.com. See the full chart of which states accept cards or not, below.

In Connecticut, for example, while you cannot buy tickets with a credit card, you can use a gift card or debit card -- unless the specific retailer prohibits using debit cards.

In Tennessee, however, lottery tickets may only be bought with cash.

"Most of the U.S. lotteries allow the purchase of lottery tickets with debit cards," says David Gale (pictured), executive director of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries.

"But only about 25 percent allow the purchase of lottery tickets with a credit card. A few of the lotteries leave it up to the retailer to decide whether to accept or not accept credit and/or debit cards for the purchase of lottery tickets."

So in Pennslyvania, says David Gale, "...there is no law prohibiting the use of checks or credit cards to pay for lottery tickets."

And the Pennslyvania Lottery states "Many Pennsylvania Lottery retailers and self-service vending terminals now accept debit (but not credit) cards! Look for the signs where this option is available."

"If a retailer wishes, they may accept a credit card -- but the Lottery-installed PIN pads, where available, only accept debit."

Check out your local store and see whether they will accept cards. You never know!

Ohio is the first state to let you buy lottery scratch-offs with a credit card. It will be only be accepted through self-service terminals (photo below, right), not at the counter.

You won't be able to use a credit card to buy MegaMillions and there will be a $100 limit per day per card. Ohio says it is responding to trends with less people carrying cash.

You can also pay at the pump soon. A handful of states, including California and North Carolina, offer the option.

In California, players swipe their credit or debit card at the pump before making a fuel purchase and choose to play Powerball, Mega Miillions or a SuperLotto game. There is a $1 flat fee per transaction. 

Source: CreditCards.com research, December 2017