EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0618*
HOUSE BILL 618
C7 5lr2957
HB 566/23 – W&M
By: Delegate Patterson
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 4, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Lottery – Internet Sales of Subscription Plans – Authorization 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency to allow the 3
establishment of a system or program that allows for the an individual to purchase 4
of a State lottery subscription plan in a certain manner; requiring the Agency to 5
report to certain committees of the General Assembly regarding State lottery 6
subscription sales on or before a certain date; and generally relating to the sale of 7
State lottery subscription plans. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – State Government 10
Section 9–101 and 9–111(e) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – State Government 16
9–101. 17
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 18
(b) “Agency” means the State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. 19 2 HOUSE BILL 618
(c) “Commission” means the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission. 1
(d) “Director” means the Director of the Agency. 2
(e) “Governmental unit” means: 3
(1) an instrumentality of the State; 4
(2) a county or municipal corporation of the State; or 5
(3) an instrumentality of a county or municipal corporation of the State. 6
(f) “JACKPOT GAME ” MEANS A LOTTERY GAME FOR WHICH THE TOP PR IZE 7
AMOUNT VARIES : 8
(1) BASED ON SALES ; AND 9
(2) IF THE PRIZE WAS WON IN THE PRECEDING DRA WING. 10
(G) “License” means a license issued by the Director to act as a licensed agent. 11
[(g)] (H) “Licensed agent” means a person or governmental unit licensed by the 12
Director to act as a State lottery sales agent. 13
(I) “MULTIJURISDICTIONAL G AME” MEANS A LOTTERY GAME OFFERED BY 14
THE AGENCY AND: 15
(1) ANY OTHER POLITICAL ENTITY OUTSIDE THE STATE OR OUTSIDE 16
THE UNITED STATES; OR 17
(2) ANY PRIVATE LICENSEE OF A STATE OR FOREIG N NATION. 18
[(h)] (J) (1) “State lottery” means the lottery established and operated under 19
this subtitle. 20
(2) “State lottery” includes a raffle conducted by the Agency. 21
(K) “SUBSCRIPTION” MEANS A METHOD OF PL AYING A 22
MULTIJURISDICTIONAL OR JACKPOT LOTTERY G AME BY WHICH AN INDI VIDUAL 23
SUBMITS TO THE AGENCY: 24
(1) AN APPLICATION TO PL AY A GAME USING THE SAME GAME DATA 25
FOR A SPECIFIED NUMB ER OF CONSECUTIVE DR AWINGS; AND 26
HOUSE BILL 618 3
(2) PAYMENT FOR THE DRAWINGS . 1
9–111. 2
(e) (1) [The] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) PARAGRAPHS (2) 3
AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE Agency may not allow the establishment of any 4
system or program that allows a person to purchase a State lottery ticket through an 5
electronic device that connects to the Internet, such as a personal computer or mobile 6
device. 7
(2) THE AGENCY MAY ALLOW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A S YSTEM OR 8
PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS FOR THE PURCHASE OF A STATE LOTTERY SUBSCRI PTION 9
PLAN AN INDIVIDUAL TO PUR CHASE A SUBSCRIPTION THROUGH AN ELECTRONI C 10
DEVICE THAT CONNECTS TO THE INTERNET, SUCH AS A PERSONAL C OMPUTER OR 11
MOBILE DEVICE . 12
(3) (I) THE AGENCY MAY ALLOW A LI CENSED AGENT TO SELL A 13
VOUCHER THAT AN INDI VIDUAL MAY USE TO FU ND THE PURCHASE OF A 14
SUBSCRIPTION . 15
(II) THE AGENCY SHALL PAY A LI CENSED AGENT THAT SE LLS A 16
VOUCHER DESCRIBED UN DER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH TH E 17
COMMISSION RATE STAT ED IN § 9–117 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 18
(III) THE AGENCY SHALL PAY A LI CENSED AGENT THE 19
COMMISSION RATE STAT ED IN § 9–117 OF THIS SUBTITLE FOR THE RENEWAL OF A 20
SUBSCRIPTION THAT WA S ORIGINALLY FUNDED BY A VOUCHER SOLD BY THE 21
LICENSED AGENT AND I S RENEWED BEFORE THE SUBSCRIPTION ’S EXPIRATION FOR 22
A PERIOD OF 24 MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE FIRST RENEWAL . 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before December 1, 24
2026, the State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency shall report to the Senate Budget and 25
Taxation Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the House Ways and 26
Means Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on State 27
lottery subscription sales, including: 28
(1) the number and amount of subscriptions sold directly by the Agency; 29
(2) the number and amount of vouchers sold by licensed agents; and 30
(3) the number of subscription renewals processed directly by the Agency 31
that were originally funded by vouchers. 32
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 33
July 1, 2025. 34 4 HOUSE BILL 618
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.