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Arizona becomes latest state to shield lottery winners' namesNews Story
Arizona joined a growing number of states allowing winners of big lottery jackpots to stay anonymous Wednesday after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation letting winners of jackpots of $100,000 or more request that their names not be made public. The move comes as privacy concerns are increasingly trumping lottery groups' wishes to publicize winners to boost sales and show that the games are fair. Four years ago, just five states allowed anonymous winners, but the number has now g
Apr 18, 2019, 8:51 am - Lottery News

Growing number of states move to shield lottery winnersNews Story
A growing number of states are moving to allow the winners of big lottery jackpots to stay anonymous as privacy concerns are increasingly trumping lottery groups' wishes to publicize winners to boost sales and show that the games are fair. Arizona could be the next state to join at least nine others with laws that let winners keep their names secret under a proposal headed to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. Four years ago, just five states allowed anonymous winners, and a handful of others allowe
Apr 14, 2019, 8:26 am - Lottery News

Powerball winner-turned lawmaker opposes anonymity for lottery prizewinnersNews Story
Includes video report A Powerball jackpot winner from Bondurant, Iowa, who was elected to the state legislature says he would oppose efforts to let lottery winners stay anonymous. At least nine states allow major lottery jackpot winners to stay anonymous, and some other states allow a form of anonymity by claiming prizes through a private legal entity. Earlier this year, Virginia became the latest state to allow lottery winners to remain anonymous but only if their prize is greater than $1
Apr 11, 2019, 10:00 am - Lottery News

Audit of California Lottery finds over $305,000 in improper or dubious spendingNews Story
California Lottery officials tallied more than $305,000 in improper or questionable spending over the last four years that included travel, food, gifts to employees and entertainment expenses, a state audit concluded Tuesday. Among the improper expenses, the lottery agency spent $21,666 to give staff logo-branded swag such as T-shirts, backpacks, lip balm and iPad cases, labeling the purchases learning aids and training tools, according to the audit by state Controller Betty Yee. The finan
Apr 11, 2019, 9:32 am - Lottery News

DOJ 'did not address' lotteries in Wire Act opinion, Deputy AG Rosenstein says in memoNews Story
A new memo from the US Department of Justice says that state lotteries are not at all impacted by the DOJ's reinterpretation of the Wire Act, a development that could mean the end of a federal court case brought earlier this year. (See New Hampshire sues DOJ over new Wire Act ruling, Lottery Post, Feb. 15, 2019.) The latest filing from the DOJ can be found below, including a memo signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. There, he talks about the Office of Legal Counsel opinion off
Apr 10, 2019, 4:23 pm - Lottery News

Nebraska bill requiring disclosure of lottery odds advancesNews Story
Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill requiring the state lottery to prominently disclose the odds of winning the biggest available prize in its game advertisements. The measure won first-round approval Monday on a 38-0 vote. The bill by state Sen. Suzanne Geist, of Lincoln, is designed to help players understand the astronomical odds of getting a big payoff and discourage people from playing when they can't afford it. The chances of winning would have to be displayed in a clear and c
Apr 9, 2019, 7:32 am - Lottery News

Virginia lottery jackpot winners can stay anonymous, starting in JulyNews Story
A new law passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed by the Governor prohibits the Virginia Lottery from disclosing information about big jackpot winners. The bill was unanimously passed by the House, and it passed the Senate in a vote of 34 to 5. A similar bill was introduced by Senator Lionell Spruill, Sr. who represents part of Chesapeake. Governor Ralph Northam signed the bill into law on February 27. When the bill goes into effect this summer, the Virginia Lottery will not
Apr 5, 2019, 7:35 pm - Lottery News

2nd lottery bill filed in the Alabama SenateNews Story
The push for an Alabama lottery is now a competition. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, filed a lottery bill this week that would establish a state lottery and limit it to paper-based games a move that has drawn opposition in the past from senators who say it could give a major gambling entity in Alabama a unique advantage over others. It's a simple lottery, Albritton said on Wednesday afternoon. It gives people the right to vote as to whether to have a lottery or not. Straight paper lottery.
Apr 4, 2019, 10:45 am - Lottery News

California Lottery official dismissed amid investigationsNews Story
A senior California Lottery executive has been dismissed from his position six months after anonymous state employees sent a letter to the Governor's Office complaining about rowdy behavior among a group of the lottery's top brass. Deputy Director of Sales James David Cole's dismissal comes amid ongoing investigations into hiring practices and alleged misconduct by senior lottery executives during a 2016 sales conference. Cole was notified Feb. 1 that his employment would be officially ter
Mar 26, 2019, 9:23 am - Lottery News

Alabama senator announces lottery planNews Story
Alabama State Sen. Jim McClendon of Springville announced this morning he is introducing legislation to set up an Alabama lottery. The people of Alabama have convinced me, the people in my district, that they would like to be able to buy a lottery ticket without having to drive to another state, McClendon said. They'd like to be able to buy a lottery ticket just like folks in 45 states across our nation can do. McClendon is a Republican who sponsored lottery legislation in 2016. That leg
Mar 20, 2019, 2:51 pm - Lottery News