Authorities at Wisconsin state's Department of Agriculture have issued a warning to a gas station owner in Merrill to stop offering gas discounts to senior citizens and youth sports supporters or face a lawsuit.

According to officials, the two cents per gallon price break for senior citizens and discount gas cards for sports followers offered by the store owner violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires retailers to sell gasoline for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price.

Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari said he received a letter from a Trade and Consumer Protection official last month saying the discounts he offered put his fuel prices far below the limit set by the state.

"In our case, it's cutting the state margin," Bhandari told the Wausau Daily Herald.

If he does not heed the letter, the state could penalize him for each gallon he offers a discount on.

While Bhandari worries that the discount halt may turn off his customers, some are unhappy about it for other reasons.

Dale Van Camp, who had bought a $50 discount card from Bhandari's store to support the hockey program, told the Herald that he had contacted state Rep. Don Friske, R-Merrill, over the issue.

He said that the law needs to be rectified since the discount card offered by Bhandari encouraged local youth sports and benefited schools.