Will Texas Lawmakers End The Texas Lottery? It Could Happen

The Texas Lottery is finding itself in the middle of a controversy at a really bad time for those who want the Texas Lottery to continue.

The latest controversy has to deal with how tickets for the Texas Lottery are sold. During the pandemic the Texas Lottery changed its rules and began allowing third parties to sell lottery tickets online. For years before, you had to buy lottery tickets in person if you wanted to play.

The issue was put back into the spotlight this week when an $83.5 million dollar Texas Lottery Jackpot was won with a ticket purchased through the app Jackpocket.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has called on Jackpocket and other services like it to be banned or else, shut down the lottery in Texas according to KXAN.

“(Courier services) violate the spirit of the law,” Patrick said. “I don’t care what kind of changes they want to make, it does not solve the issue. The was the lottery was established was to have cash tickets so we don’t have kids buying tickets… not for an app to be a digital courier, buying thousands and thousands or millions of tickets.”

Texas Lottery and Sunset Review

Another issues facing the Texas Lottery? They are up for Sunset Review by the Texas Legislature and there are already some Texas House members who have said they would like to get rid of the lottery altogether.

It's widely thought that the Texas Lottery will survive Sunset Review, but Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is threatening to end the lottery if courier services according to KXAN.

“We will pass [legislation this session] to ban couriers. Number two, if they don’t make changes and they don’t instill confidence for the legislature and the people of Texas in the lottery, we will not pass the Sunset bill in the Senate, and the lottery will be out of existence,” Patrick said. “[Couriers being banned] is a hard line for me, and I think the Senate… I haven’t talked to all the Senators but the bill [last session to ban couriers] passed 29-2.”

Legislation Filed Targeting the Texas Lottery

State Representative Matt Shaheen has filed legislation that would make mobile lottery games a criminal offense. That would eliminate courier services. Shaheen has also authored a joint resolution to give rid of the Texas Lottery. For that to happen, it would have to be approved by both the House and Senate and Texas voters would have to vote to ban the Texas Lottery.

This will be an ongoing issue during the legislative session.