Texas lottery likely to continue after Legislature approves compromise

A bill that would preserve the Texas Lottery but abolish the commission that oversees it is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott.

The Senate Friday night agreed with changes to the compromise plan, paving the way for the beleaguered state lottery to be managed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Charitable Bingo, which is currently under the embattled Texas Lottery Commission, would also be overseen by TDLR.

Lawmakers expect Abbott to sign the bill. In February he ordered the Texas Rangers to investigate two multi-million jackpots that have stirred controversy. Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have also announced investigations of the lottery.

"I’m satisfied with where we are,” said state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, a day before the Senate concurred with House amendments to the bill he authored.

Hall added that the Department of Licensing and Regulation would be able to absorb the lottery and provide the necessary oversight.

Under the bill passed Sunday, the revamped lottery would be subjected to a series of reforms, including the banning of third-party couriers to assist customers in ticket purchases, mandating retailers develop age-verification tools to prevent the sale of tickets to minors and a comprehensive review by state regulators to develop additional recommendations.

The House amendment, developed by state Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, would extend the contract of International Game Technology (IGT), the company that operates the lottery, for two years. State officials are currently in the process of procuring another lottery operations contract after the current one expires in 2026.

The potentially soon-to-be abolished Lottery Commission is under its 12-year systematic evaluation and will expire Aug. 31 without reauthorization from the Legislature. The evaluation started last year with the Sunset Advisory Commission, which made recommendations on how lottery oversight could be improved.

Under the terms of the bill that passed the House Sunday, the Legislature now has to review and approve the continuation of the lottery by Sept. 1, 2029. The original Senate version called for a review and extension by Sept. 1, 2027.

https://pechanga.net/texas-lottery-likely-to-continue-after-legislature-approves-compromise-p61566-192.htm