Bill to ban online, app purchase of Texas Lottery tickets passes Senate

AUSTIN - A bill blocking Texas Lottery tickets from being sold online or by an app has passed the Texas Senate.

Senate Bill 28, authored by State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Rockwall), unanimously passed 31-0 on Thursday.

If it passes the House, the bill would end courier services that have come under scrutiny after recent wins.

What they're saying:

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has publicly called for reforms to the Texas Lottery, thanked Senator Hall for his work on the bill shortly after it passed.

"Thank you for your dedication to this issue so that we can clean up fraud in the lottery," said Patrick.

The Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers sent a statement about the passage.

"We are disappointed that a pro-business state like Texas would consider shutting down companies that have for years followed the guidance and instruction of the Texas Lottery and honored the trust of millions of Texas customers," wrote the coalition in part. "If responsible lottery couriers are shut down, millions of Texans will lose access to convenient and secure lottery participation. It is likely that this will create a black market, involving substitute ‘courier’ companies that don’t follow the law and who are disinterested in protecting the interests of the citizens or the State. "

What's next:

The bill now moves to the Texas House, where other lottery bills have failed in the past.

House Bill 389, filed by State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Collin County), is identical to Hall's bill.

Senate Bill 28

Dig deeper:

Senate Bill 28 bans Texans from buying lottery tickets by telephone, internet application or mobile internet application.

It also prevents third-party services from selling tickets to customers.

If the bill passes the House, the law would take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.

Texas Lottery Investigations

The backstory:

The Texas Lottery has been under the microscope after recent controversial wins.

Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate an $83.5 million winning ticket sold in Austin through a courier this month and a $95 million winning ticket in 2023 that was allegedly made through a bulk purchase.

Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his own investigation into the Texas Lottery Commission as well.