Legislator proposes softer alternative to total abolishment of state lottery
By Kate Northrop
A Texas Senator who has staunchly advocated for the defunding of the Texas Lottery has now switched course with a bill that would only abolish the Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) and hand the responsibility of the state lottery to another government agency.
With the current legislative session dwindling down to its final days, the Texas Senate has rapidly passed a bill that would see the reins of supervising the Texas Lottery given to another department.
SB 3070 was filed on Monday and unanimously passed by the Texas Senate just three days later. It is sponsored by Senator Bob Hall, a staunch opponent of the Texas Lottery who has previously advocated for the abolishment of the state lottery on several occasions, as well as 11 other senators.
"The lottery commission changed its administrative roles to help criminals rig the lottery," Hall said during Tuesday's Senate Committee on State Affairs meeting.
Rather than abolish the entire Texas Lottery agency, the bill would instead disintegrate the TLC and transfer its administration to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation or the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
The bill would take effect in September 2025 and encompasses all functions and activities currently performed by the Texas Lottery Commission, including those for charitable bingo and lottery ticket sales. Additionally, it would be prohibited to purchase or sell lottery tickets via phone or Internet and the number of tickets per transaction would be limited to 100.
Retailers will also be required to use an age verification process prescribed by commission rule to verify the age of each player at the point of sale. Failing to do so, depending on the age verification rules that would be put in place by a commission, would result in a Class B misdemeanor offense.
While the current TLC would be disbanded by the bill, it would still require a lottery advisory committee to be established, which the bill states would "provide external expertise on the lottery." Its members would ideally represent a "balance of interests," made up of representatives of the public, licensed retailers, interest groups with divergent viewpoints on the lottery, and entities associated with or benefitting from lottery revenue.
The bill clarifies that at least one member each must have experience with lottery law enforcement, lottery legal matters, and lottery finance. These representatives would not be entitled to any compensation for carrying out their duties.
Lastly, the bill calls for a Sunset review in 2027 to determine whether the Lottery should continue to operate.
"They have a two-year lease on life — we'll see what happens under the new agency," Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said on Thursday.
The House received the bill on Friday after it passed the Senate on Thursday.
Well, perhaps a new lease on life for 2 years. I wonder who is going to want to serve on an advisory committee without any compensation.
I also imagine retailers won't be thrilled to have to verify ages of ticket purchasers.
* Hmmm!
I have been to states where they verify age for lottery purchases.
All they do is scan your DL barcode and when you get a receipt, it says "age verified".
I think if that's done for tobacco and alcohol, it wouldn't be a totally foreign thing.
I know there are people who don't like their ID being scanned and feel like it's government over reach, but as someone that flies a lot, showing an ID or any other form of identification happens on auto pilot.
Every time we drive through TN mandatory lottery tickets. Clerk just asks if you're over 18, no biggie. OTOH here in tobacco country smokers have to show physical ID for purchases but KY doesn't ask age to play lotto.
EvErYtHaNg iz alwayz BIGGA in Texez...
The lottery advisory committee sounds like too many cooks in the kitchen to me.
Lottery PONZI SCHEME 🙊,, 50 % never goes back to the player , it's is paid 🤑 to the people who operate the lottery 😈,,,
I get asked my age everything I buy tickets. It's no big deal.
The people who run the lottery do not get 50% of the proceeds. They get a normal salary. 50% of the proceeds (minus admin costs, which is fairly small) goes to the state. The legislature spends it.
Do you really think a state would run a lottery just for fun, where all the revenue gets spent by other people? LOL
I get asked sometimes. Some retailers ask everyone and scan the barcode using the lottery terminal. Occasionally I am asked my date if birth and the clerk types it in.
There are 2 convenience store chains here that ask everyone regardless. I don't go to those stores often.
Not true at all