Texas Senator Bryan Hughes seems firmly fixated on the perceived issues within the state’s lottery, pushing for another Bill to amend the sector.
Hughes has sponsored Bill 1346, which he and fellow proponents believe will make the Lotto Texas fairer for players by preventing cheating or ‘gaming’ of the system.
The Bill, if approved, will prevent lottery retailers from selling tickets to groups of people they know are attempting a jackpot buyout. This is when groups of people club together to buy multiple tickets at once, increasing their chances of winning and subsequently sharing the jackpot.
With jackpots reaching multi-million dollar figures, this is a particularly lucrative practice for the groups who engage in it – but Hughes and other Senators view it as a form of cheating which impacts the fairness and overall purpose of the Texas Lottery.
Texas legislators seem broadly supportive of the Bill, though some appear to want the legislation to go further and introduce harsh penalties on retailers which allow purchasing groups to buy multiple combinations of lottery tickets.
Bob Hall – one of Hughes fellow Republicans in the Texas Senate, which the party dominates with 20 seats against the Democrats’ 11 – has argued for retailers which violate the potential law to face licence suspensions of up to one year.
Turbulent times for Lotto Texas
The move is the latest in a series of political actions in Texas, much of which stem from a widely publicised buyout incident in which a $95m jackpot was won by a wealthy individual or individuals who spent $25m to almost every possible combination in that draw.
The succeeding years have seen Texas lawmakers and the executive since take aim at lottery couriers. These companies, like Jackpocket and Lottery.com, allow customers to buy retail lottery tickets digitally rather than in store via their third-party apps.
Policymakers have often questioned the integrity of Lotto Texas during these enquiries and legislative debates, with some arguing that the $95m was orchestrated by people connected to the lottery.
Meanwhile, Texas Governor Dan Patrick has made his view clear that an investigation may be needed into the relationships between couriers, retailers and the state lottery itself to ensure no corruption has been taking place.
Hughes, the sponsor of Bill 1346, has been heavily involved in many of the developments around retailers, couriers and the lottery. The politician seems emblematic of the wider opinions of the Texas legislature around the state’s multi-million lottery sector.