Mass. officials sued over lottery contract

BOSTON—A bingo software company has filed a $20 million federal lawsuit against Massachusetts Treasurer Tim Cahill and the head of the state lottery, alleging they conspired to award a contract to a competitor who financially supported the treasurer.

Rhode Island-based Bingo Innovative Software LLC claims in the suit that Cahill and Mark Cavanagh, executive director of the lottery, favored Georgia-based Scientific Games International Inc. last year when trying to implement a new game.

Bingo Innovative said their bingo product was superior to Scientific Games’ daily race game, but Scientific Games was chosen because the company executives had donated campaign funds to Cahill.

Cahill’s office oversees the state lottery.

Grace Lee, the treasury’s general counsel, told the Boston Herald the lawsuit is “absolutely frivolous.“