The ongoing Texas Lottery saga involving retailers, couriers, and winners continues to generate debate, media coverage, and political backlash in the state.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been at the forefront of the issue, doing on-the-ground deep dives into different lottery courier services and the alleged issues surrounding them. Most recently, he posted a video of his return to the “Winners Corner” location and the office of the Texas Lottery Commission (TLC).
“Bottom line is this,” Patrick states in the video. “For it to continue, you as the taxpayers and those who play the lottery, must be assured that every game is honest and you have a fair chance to win. If we can not guarantee that, then the lottery should not continue.”
The TLC has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks, especially regarding the use of courier services by recent winners.
A lottery courier is a third-party service that allows customers to order lottery tickets online or through a mobile app. The courier then purchases the physical tickets from licensed retailers on behalf of the customer. These services handle the process of buying tickets, collecting winnings, and ensuring that winnings are sent to the right person.
The TLC is up for sunset review, which is a legislative mechanism that automatically terminates state agencies on a specific date unless the Texas Legislature passes a bill to continue their functions. That means the lawmakers at the Capitol could choose to do nothing and allow the TLC to be abolished.
Cameron Abrams is a staff writer for The Texan. An excerpt of his article is being published with expressed permission from the online platform. Find the rest of this article at http://thetexan.news.
