Latest news with #Mindell
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Lottery Commission approves new rules to penalize courier services
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas Lottery Commission unanimously approved new rules on Tuesday that will revoke the license of any retailer who operates, or works with, a lottery courier service, which allows people to purchase lottery tickets online. The vote comes more than two months after the former executive director, Ryan Mindell, issued a policy statement saying lottery courier services are not legal in the state. The commission proposed the rule change in March. The vote happened during a public meeting, the first since Mindell resigned from his position. Before the vote, Commissioner Mark A. Franz said he originally opposed the rule change because he felt the commission had made sufficient changes to prevent another bulk purchasing event, when a single group purchased more than $25 million worth of tickets to nearly guarantee a $95 million jackpot in April 2023. He originally wanted to wait and see what action the Texas legislature takes, however, Franz said he changed his mind after 'weighing the evidence' over the past month. 'I am persuaded that this is the right move going forward and that we should do the maximum amount allowable under our current statute, which is what this does,' Franz said. The meeting agenda also showed there was going to be a report from Mindell about the Feb. 17, 2025, Lotto Texas jackpot win, where a Texas woman purchased $20 of tickets over her phone and won an $83.5 million jackpot. The winning ticket was printed at Winners Corner, a retail store in Austin operated by Jackpocket, a courier service. The Texas Rangers are now investigating that win, and the woman who won the jackpot tells Nexstar she has been advised by the lottery commission that she will not see any money until after the investigation ends, and even then, she may not be paid. The commission decided to table the report since it was prepared by an executive director who is no longer with the Texas Lottery. Sergio Rey, the CFO of the Texas Lottery, is the acting executive director. Commissioners went into executive session to discuss personnel matters as the fate of the Texas lottery is up in the air. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has been a critic of the Lottery Commission this year, told Nexstar this week the Texas Lottery is 'on life support right now,' but seems confident that even if the lottery stays in Texas, there will not be a Lottery Commission. 'If we have a lottery game, we need to close down the Lottery Commission and turn it over to our department of Texas licensing, TDLR,' Patrick said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Texas Lottery Commission head resigns amid state investigations into controversial wins
Texas Lottery Commission head resigns amid state investigations into controversial wins The head of the Texas Lottery Commission has resigned a year after being appointed following state investigations into two controversial jackpot wins that questioned the integrity of the agency. Executive Director Ryan Mindell announced his resignation effective April 21 in a statement, revealing Chief Financial Officer Sergio Rey has been appointed acting deputy director. The commission board will consider who will permanently assume the leading position at its next meeting scheduled for April 29. The agency declined to offer additional information on Mindell's resignation, telling USA TODAY it does not comment on personnel matters. In February, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched state investigations into two lottery wins, including one this year where a woman purchased a winning ticket through a courier service, an online third-party vendor that purchases tickets on people's behalf. That same month, the commission banned the use of all courier services, citing a lack of regulatory oversight. In a Feb. 24 news release, the agency accused couriers of selling online ticket orders after determining whether it's a winning ticket through private arrangements with licensed retailers. Mindell warned that lottery retailers would lose their license if they worked with a courier. "Previously, the agency interpreted its authority as not extending to the regulation or prohibition of these services," Mindell said in the news release. Since I became executive director less than a year ago, I have been keenly focused on making changes to improve the public's perception of Texas Lottery games and how they are played and operated." What are the controversial Texas lottery wins? Among the wins under investigation is an April 2023 winner who scored a $95 million jackpot by allegedly buying nearly every possible number combination, the governor's office said in February. More than 25 million unique six-digit combinations were virtually purchased by a company called Rook TX, according to a Houston Chronicle investigation. The company reportedly received a one-time payment of $57.8 million two months later under a Texas law that allows jackpots to be claimed anonymously. This year, the commission withheld an Austin woman's $83.5 million prize pot after she reportedly purchased the winning ticket on Feb. 17 through the digital courier service. Though the commission did not explain its decision to withhold, it told USA TODAY the claim is under review and is the subject of an external investigation. That win occurred after a new ban on courier services that went into effect a week later. Attorney Randy Howry, who is representing the winner, said his client followed all of the Texas Lottery Commission's rules when she purchased the winning ticket through the Jackpocket app, according to People Magazine. "She did everything the right way," Howry told People. "If you allow a person to play by your rules and they win and you refuse to pay 'em, then why would anyone play the Texas lottery going forward?" Are lottery couriers legal in Texas? The Texas Senate passed a bill on Feb. 27 banning online lottery ticket sales and stopping third-party services from selling tickets, but the measure is still awaiting a vote from the House, the Texas Tribune reported. Lawmakers have also threatened to shut down the lottery after alleging it failed to operate lawfully and with integrity. The state House and Senate are in the midst of determining a final version of two-year state budget that will determine how much money the commission would receive and whether its enough to keep the agency operational. "Texans must be able to trust in our state's lottery system and know that the lottery is conducted with integrity and lawfully," Abbott said in the February news release. "I directed the Texas Rangers to fully investigate these incidents and identify any potential wrongdoing. Texans deserve a lottery that is fair and transparent for everyone."
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Lottery executive director resigns amid multiple investigations
The Texas Lottery Commission's executive director, Ryan Mindell, resigned Monday, according to a media release. Mindell's exit comes as the agency faces at least two investigations ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton into the integrity of the lottery prizes, and how the state handled the introduction of courier companies that buy and send tickets on behalf of customers online. "Lottery couriers are unregulated service providers that take lottery ticket orders from customers online, either through an Internet website on a computer, or by using an application on a mobile device," the Texas Lottery Commission told Fox News Digital. "Upon receipt of funds from a customer, the courier sends a representative to purchase lottery tickets in person from a licensed brick-and-mortar lottery retailer with whom the courier has a private business arrangement. The courier transmits a scanned image of the ticket to the customer and retains the ticket until it is determined to be a winning or non-winning ticket. Couriers charge a fee for their service to purchase and manage their customers' tickets." Texas Man Arrested For Fatal Beating Of Mother During 'Exorcism': Police The companies and lottery officials have denied wrongdoing. But Texas state lawmakers are considering forcing several changes, ranging from a legal ban on sales through courier companies to shutting down the agency by taking away all of its funding. Read On The Fox News App Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate an $83 million winning lottery ticket sold in Austin in February, and a $95 million winning lottery ticket sold in Colleyville in April 2023, FOX 7 Austin reported. Missing Texas Realtor Suzanne Simpson's Husband 'Forcing State's Hand' In Fight To Toss Murder Case: Experts "The governor expects the Texas Lottery Commission to work within the bounds of the law and to ensure the trust and integrity of the lottery regardless of who leads the agency," Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers accused Mindell of pushing the agency to "inaccurately and unfairly" allow the courier companies to "become the scapegoat for its own questionable activities." Click Here To Get To The Fox News App "Mindell's departure provides an opportunity to reconsider the agency's politically motivated decisions regarding lottery couriers and restart good faith collaboration between our companies and the TLC," the coalition said in a statement to the AP. Sergio Rey, the former chief financial officer at the Texas Lottery Commission, "has been appointed acting deputy executive director of the Texas Lottery. The Commission board will consider its selection process for a new executive director at its next open meeting, scheduled for April 29," the agency said in a statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Texas Lottery executive director resigns amid multiple investigations
Fox News
23-04-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Texas Lottery executive director resigns amid multiple investigations
The Texas Lottery Commission's executive director, Ryan Mindell, resigned Monday, according to a media release. Mindell's exit comes as the agency faces at least two investigations ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton into the integrity of the lottery prizes, and how the state handled the introduction of courier companies that buy and send tickets on behalf of customers online. "Lottery couriers are unregulated service providers that take lottery ticket orders from customers online, either through an Internet website on a computer, or by using an application on a mobile device," the Texas Lottery Commission told Fox News Digital. "Upon receipt of funds from a customer, the courier sends a representative to purchase lottery tickets in person from a licensed brick-and-mortar lottery retailer with whom the courier has a private business arrangement. The courier transmits a scanned image of the ticket to the customer and retains the ticket until it is determined to be a winning or non-winning ticket. Couriers charge a fee for their service to purchase and manage their customers' tickets." The companies and lottery officials have denied wrongdoing. But Texas state lawmakers are considering forcing several changes, ranging from a legal ban on sales through courier companies to shutting down the agency by taking away all of its funding. Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate an $83 million winning lottery ticket sold in Austin in February, and a $95 million winning lottery ticket sold in Colleyville in April 2023, FOX 7 Austin reported. "The governor expects the Texas Lottery Commission to work within the bounds of the law and to ensure the trust and integrity of the lottery regardless of who leads the agency," Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers accused Mindell of pushing the agency to "inaccurately and unfairly" allow the courier companies to "become the scapegoat for its own questionable activities." "Mindell's departure provides an opportunity to reconsider the agency's politically motivated decisions regarding lottery couriers and restart good faith collaboration between our companies and the TLC," the coalition said in a statement to the AP. Sergio Rey, the former chief financial officer at the Texas Lottery Commission, "has been appointed acting deputy executive director of the Texas Lottery. The Commission board will consider its selection process for a new executive director at its next open meeting, scheduled for April 29," the agency said in a statement.
Newsweek
22-04-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Lottery Chief Resigns After 'Biggest Theft' in the History of Texas
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ryan Mindell announced his resignation as executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) on Monday after the state-funded body was engulfed in a series of scandals. In 2023, a single buyer purchased around 25.8 million $1 Texas lottery tickets, nearly all there were, in order to secure a $95 million jackpot in what Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called "the biggest theft from the people of Texas in the history of Texas." The TLC told Newsweek it does not comment on personnel matters or have additional information beyond a statement released on Monday when contacted for comment. Why It Matters In recent years, the Texas Lottery has become embroiled in a number of scandals and is currently under investigation by the Texas Attorney General's Office and the Texas Rangers from the Department of Public Safety. What To Know On Monday in a statement, TLC Chairman Robert G. Rivera said that Mindell had "notified the Texas Lottery Commission board of his resignation, effective today." Mindell served as executive director for exactly one year, following the resignation of his longstanding predecessor Gary Grief. He previously worked as deputy executive director, operations director and assistant general counsel for the TLC. In this photo illustration, a lottery ticket is shown on a Chevron gas station countertop on July 28, 2022 in Houston, Texas. In this photo illustration, a lottery ticket is shown on a Chevron gas station countertop on July 28, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Brandon Bell/GETTY In 2023, a $95 million jackpot was won by a consortium led by London-based trader Bernard Marantelli, which purchased nearly all of the 25.8 million possible number combinations at $1 per ticket. According to the Wall Street Journal, Marantelli and his associates obtained official ticket-printing terminals, which they operated around the clock to produce the requisite tickets. Lieutenant Governor Patrick described their win as "the biggest theft from the people of Texas in the history of Texas" though Marantelli's legal representative insisted that "all applicable laws, rules and regulations were followed." The Texas Lottery has also been criticized over the operation of ticket courier services, third-party companies that sell game tickets through smartphone apps. In March 2025, one woman, who said she had a $83.5 million winning Texas Lottery jackpot ticket, was told she wouldn't receive any money until the completion of separate investigations led by Attorney General Paxton and the Texas Rangers. It emerged her ticket had been purchased via an online courier app. Following criticism, the TLC changed its rules to ban bulk purchases from professional gamblers along with courier companies. The Texas Lottery, which was launched in 1992 with approval from the state legislature, says it has generated over $40 billion for the state government. Around $34 billion has gone to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas, with funding also going to the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance, according to Texas Lottery. What People Are Saying In his statement,TLC Chairman Rivera said: "Ryan Mindell notified the Texas Lottery Commission board of his resignation, effective today, April 21. Sergio Rey, the agency's Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed Acting Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Lottery. The Commission board will consider its selection process for a new executive director at its next open meeting, scheduled for April 29." Speaking to the Austin American-Stateman, state Senator Bob Hall, a Republican, welcomed Mindell's resignation. He said: "I am in favor of doing anything that puts an end to lottery in Texas while we protect the money that was going to veterans." What Happens Next The Texas Legislature has set the TLC's budget at $0 for two years beginning in September, a move that could well bankrupt the body unless a compromise is found. Investigations into the TLC from the Attorney General's Office and the Texas Rangers look set to continue.
