PRINCE.EDWARD.ISLAND (CBC) - Atlantic Lotto removed lottery terminals from three P.E.I. retailers Thursday for failing to comply with new rules.

The retailers had not followed the government corporation's requirement that lottery ticket purchasers sign their tickets. The retailers have lost their 6/49 and Proline machines, as well as their other lottery tickets, for five days, Atlantic Lotto spokeswoman Paula Dyke told CBC News on Friday. The suspensions come after prior warnings.

"If we find that there are retailers who are not complying with the policies, it triggers different levels of the process," Dyke said.

"The first time that happens, we issue a letter of warning and then go back to make sure that the retailer understands the policy."

Dyke said suspensions come with a second infraction. Atlantic Lotto officials have been on P.E.I. the last couple of days implementing the suspensions.

Last year, after an audit uncovered a suspicious number of lottery wins by retailers, Atlantic Lotto implemented new rules requiring winners to sign their tickets.

Atlantic Lotto suspended six other retailers on P.E.I. for five days at the end of May, Dyke said.

As of late Friday afternoon, the lottery corporation had not responded to requests from CBC News for the names of the retailers.

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