Texas Lottery concerns: Bill filed to ban app, Internet purchase of lotto tickets
Texas Lottery fraud allegations
The active lawsuit against the Texas Lottery has caused people to lose trust in the system's integrity.
AUSTIN - More Texas officials have joined calls for an evaluation of the Texas Lottery after a controversial $83.5 million ticket was purchased in north Austin.
A new bill was introduced on Thursday to ban the purchase of Texas lottery tickets online or in an app.
Texas Lottery Concerns
Dan Patrick investigates lottery retailer in Austin
VIDEO: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is conducting his own investigation into the Texas Lottery. This comes after a winning $83.5 million lottery ticket was bought at a retail store in North Austin. (Video courtesy: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's X account)
The backstory:
A winning $83.5M Lotto Texas ticket was bought at a retail store in North Austin called Winners Corner TX LLC.
The winning ticket was purchased through an app called JackPocket, which also owns Winners Corner.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick visited the store on Tuesday. His video shows a couple of terminals to buy lottery tickets and merchandise tables with board games for sale. Patrick said behind the public part of the store he saw dozens more ticket terminals printing lottery tickets.
DraftKings, the parent company of JackPocket, argues they aren't breaking any laws and that this win was not as a result of a bulk ordering system, where millions of dollars are spent to buy nearly all possible number combinations.
Patrick says while a courier service like JackPocket is not illegal, it is not the intent of the state lottery when it began in 1991.
"Do you not see an issue where the public might lose confidence if the courier service somehow happened at this one location in the entire state of Texas sold an $83 million winning ticket, and they also own the location that printed the ticket?" Patrick asked a store employee at Winners Corner.
Legislation to ban app, Internet sales
Dig deeper:
Several bills have been filed in this session to amend the current lottery rules.
Lt. Gov. Patrick supported legislation to ban couriers in the last session, but it failed to pass the Texas House.
On Thursday, State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Collin County) and State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Rockwall) filed identical bills proposing a ban on the sale of Texas Lottery tickets through an app or online.
If passed, the law would take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
What's next:
The bill, SB 28, was referred to the Senate State Affairs committee.
It will go up for a public hearing on Monday, Feb. 24.
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Texas Lottery
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller joined Lt. Gov. Patrick in calling for a closer look at the security of the Texas Lottery.
The Agriculture Commission inspects the ping pong balls used in the lottery.
What they're saying:
"The Texas Lottery was designed to operate with integrity, and we must uphold that standard. We cannot allow lottery printing machines to be hidden from public view, nor should a single entity control both a retail location and the associated courier service. These practices raise serious concerns, and it’s past time for a deeper investigation," said MIller in a statement on Thursday.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Texas Lottery, DraftKings, the Texas Legislature and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.