By: Hall S.B. No. 1820
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the prohibited play and facilitation of play of a
lottery game by telephone or through the Internet.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 466.015, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-2) to read as
follows:
(b) The commission shall adopt rules to the extent they are
not inconsistent with Chapters 551 and 552 governing the:
(1) security for the lottery and the commission,
including the development of an internal security plan;
(2) apportionment of the total revenues from the sale
of tickets and from all other sources in the amounts provided by
this chapter;
(3) enforcement of prohibitions on the sale of tickets
to or by an individual younger than 18 years of age; and
(4) enforcement of prohibitions on a person playing or
facilitating the playing of a lottery game by telephone or through
the Internet.
(b-2) For purposes of this section, a person:
(1) plays a lottery game by telephone or through the
Internet if the person, by telephone or through an Internet
application or mobile Internet application:
(A) orders or purchases a ticket for the game; or
(B) arranges for another person to purchase a
ticket on behalf of the person playing the game; and
(2) facilitates the playing of a lottery game by
telephone or through the Internet if the person, by telephone or
through an Internet application or mobile Internet application:
(A) accepts orders for or sells a ticket for the
game; or
(B) arranges to purchase or for another person to
purchase a ticket on behalf of the person playing the game.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2024, the Texas Lottery
Commission shall adopt or amend rules as necessary to implement the
changes in law made by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.