Latest news with #CTLC
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Senate votes to criminalize mobile lottery applications
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Just four days after the Texas Lottery Commission changed its precedent by banning lottery couriers, the Texas Senate unanimously voted to criminalize them. If passed by the Texas House and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, acting as a courier for pay would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000. 'Thank you for your dedication to this issue, so we clean up fraud in the lottery,' Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told the bill's author State Sen. Bob Hall, R — Rockwall. Hall felt the bill doesn't go far enough. 'I strongly believe that the only legislative change that would have a meaningful impact in eliminating the organized crime syndicate embed in the Texas Government is legislation that completely and permanently abolishes the lottery commission,' he said. The heightened scrutiny on the Texas Lottery started during a Feb. 12 Senate Finance Committee hearing. Senators grilled the Texas Lottery Commission on a 2023 Lotto Texas drawing where one group was able to spend about $25 million to buy nearly every single number combination for a $95 million jackpot, partially with the help of at least one lottery courier service. They repeatedly questioned why the commissioners and Executive Director Ryan Mindell were not enforcing existing statutes that banned playing the lottery through telephone, or that banned buying a ticket for someone with a markup. Mindell repeatedly said the Texas Lottery Commission did not have the authority to ban courier services, while lottery courier services argued they weren't violating existing laws because the games were being played through an application, and their markup was comparable to a delivery fee. Then interest grew again when a Feb. 16 Lotto Texas jackpot was won at a retailer called Winners Corner, owned by the app Jackpocket. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick visited the store the next day, highlighting the (already public) fact that the store was owned by the courier service Jackpocket, which had 47 lottery terminals on-site to help process mobile orders. Then, on Monday, Abbott order the Texas Rangers to investigate the two controversial jackpot wins, before Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his own investigation on Wednesday. Despite testifying in front of the Senate State Affairs committee on Monday, the Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers (CTLC) could not convince a single senator to not criminalize their operation. 'Responsible lottery couriers exist to securely expand access to lottery games, ensuring the ability of the state to fulfill its promises to future recipients of lottery proceeds. Responsible lottery couriers are private businesses employing hundreds of employees across the nineteen U.S. lottery jurisdictions where they currently operate, and contributing tens of millions of dollars to the states that they serve,' the CTLC said in a statement. '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.' In its statement, the the CTLC highlighted a bill filed by State Rep. John Bucy III, D — Austin, to regulate couriers instead of banning them. 'Here in Texas I think adults should be able to make decisions for themselves,' Bucy said. 'In modern times, courier services have 2,000,000 Texas users. This a convenient way, it's a safe and secure way, and so I just want to add regulation to make sure everyone's playing by the rules.' With the Senate's courier ban headed to the Texas House, Bucy hopes his colleagues will take their time. 'Just because Dan Patrick and the Texas Senate have acted, the Texas House is a deliberate body,' Bucy said. 'We're gonna work through this issue, we're gonna be able to talk about it. I think everyone will slow down in the House instead of rushing it, and really look at the matter of 'well, we use so much through our smartphones, why can't we do this?'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$83.5M Texas Lotto jackpot sold at Austin retailer was won online
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The fifth-largest jackpot in the history of Lotto Texas, a game within the Texas Lottery Commission operations, was sold at an Austin location which primarily handles courier picks from the app Jackpocket, a subsidiary of DraftKings. On Monday night, the Texas Lottery Commission announced the Winner's Corner, an Austin lottery and board game store, sold an $83.5 million jackpot in the six-number Lotto Texas. However, that bet wasn't placed in-person, but rather through the Jackpocket app, which has raised some concerns if the winnings will stay in Texas. According to the Texas Lottery Commission, the Winners Corner sold $127.6 million worth of lottery tickets in 2023. The second highest selling retailer, Round Rock's Luck Zone, sold less than a quarter of that, totaling $28.2 million. Yet the store is out in a non-descript building, out of the way for anyone who hadn't specifically decided to go there. So why are they handling so many ticket sales? According to an employee who emerged from the back of the store, Monday's winner was mostly likely placed through the Jackpocket app and processed in the store. Her supervisor then came out and gave KXAN a contact number for Travis Thomas, who works for a PR company representing the Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers (CTLC), which consists of Jackpocket, and The back of the store was filled with workers, computers and boxes, but employees on-site refused to let KXAN set foot inside, directing them to the storefront. At a Texas Senate Finance Committee hearing, several Texas lawmakers told Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) leaders that they felt courier services were either violating or skirting the law. On Friday, TLC formally asked the Attorney General's Office what power, if any, they have to regulate them. They've been under enhanced scrutiny after a Houston Chronicle investigation determined courier service applications helped one organization place bets for nearly every number combination in an April 2023 drawing, all but ensuring the $95 million jackpot. Further Chronicle investigations tied the winning money to Europe. The CTLC denies any courier services helped with the operation. 'The Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers (CTLC) – Jackpocket, and – does not engage in the facilitation or fulfillment of bulk purchasing activity and strongly supports the implementation of state regulatory standards, including the prohibition of bulk purchases and the international distribution of Texas Lottery games,' a representative with their PR firm wrote. The idea of Texas money heading overseas has others worried about who won this jackpot, and where they're located. Thomas says the apps have ways to prevent sales to out-of-state players. 'Verified adult players may only order lottery tickets in the state where they are physically located,' Thomas said. 'For instance, a geo-location process would prohibit a Texan from using the platform to order a Texas Lottery ticket while traveling outside of the state.' Thomas further added that Jackpocket blocks any form of location spoofing. For this story, KXAN asked TLC how they plan to make sure the winning ticket was bought within Texas. 'The agency is investigating this matter and cannot comment at this time,' TLC Media Relations Director Steve Helms replied. 'It is standard practice for the agency to conduct investigations of jackpot winners,' he later clarified. Upon request for a statement, Thomas sent a press release (below) confirming the ticket was sold on their app. Jackpocket Press ReleaseDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
