Eds: ADDS comment from attorney general. APNewsNow. MULTIMEDIA: Audio files of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and a copy of a press release from the Minnesota Lottery have been posted at ftp.ap.org. Scroll down and click on StateLevel folder, then find the ND folder in the list. Members who need a password for the site should contact the AP in Bismarck, 1-800-472-2186.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says he expects to decide within a few weeks whether the state should join the Mega Millions lottery game.

A North Dakota lottery advisory board supports the move, and Minnesota expects to start selling Mega Millions tickets early next year.

Stenehjem says if Minnesota sells tickets to the game, North Dakota could lose business to merchants across the border.

But the attorney general says he hasn't decided yet whether to allow the move. Stenehjem says he personally doesn't want to add another lottery game.

North Dakota is one of 31 states that sells tickets to the Powerball lottery. Powerball and Mega Millions are the nation's two biggest lotteries. Mega Millions is played in 12 states, including California, Texas and New York.

The governing boards of Powerball and Mega Millions have agreed to allow each other's tickets to be sold in the states where they operate.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-30-09 1641CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list