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Growing number of states move to shield lottery winnersNews Story
A growing number of states are moving to allow the winners of big lottery jackpots to stay anonymous as privacy concerns are increasingly trumping lottery groups' wishes to publicize winners to boost sales and show that the games are fair. Arizona could be the next state to join at least nine others with laws that let winners keep their names secret under a proposal headed to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. Four years ago, just five states allowed anonymous winners, and a handful of others allowe
Apr 14, 2019, 8:26 am - Lottery News

Nebraska bill requiring disclosure of lottery odds advancesNews Story
Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill requiring the state lottery to prominently disclose the odds of winning the biggest available prize in its game advertisements. The measure won first-round approval Monday on a 38-0 vote. The bill by state Sen. Suzanne Geist, of Lincoln, is designed to help players understand the astronomical odds of getting a big payoff and discourage people from playing when they can't afford it. The chances of winning would have to be displayed in a clear and c
Apr 9, 2019, 7:32 am - Lottery News

Virginia lottery jackpot winners can stay anonymous, starting in JulyNews Story
A new law passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed by the Governor prohibits the Virginia Lottery from disclosing information about big jackpot winners. The bill was unanimously passed by the House, and it passed the Senate in a vote of 34 to 5. A similar bill was introduced by Senator Lionell Spruill, Sr. who represents part of Chesapeake. Governor Ralph Northam signed the bill into law on February 27. When the bill goes into effect this summer, the Virginia Lottery will n
Apr 5, 2019, 7:35 pm - Lottery News

2nd lottery bill filed in the Alabama SenateNews Story
The push for an Alabama lottery is now a competition. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, filed a lottery bill this week that would establish a state lottery and limit it to paper-based games a move that has drawn opposition in the past from senators who say it could give a major gambling entity in Alabama a unique advantage over others. It's a simple lottery, Albritton said on Wednesday afternoon. It gives people the right to vote as to whether to have a lottery or not. Straight paper lottery.
Apr 4, 2019, 10:45 am - Lottery News

Alabama senator announces lottery planNews Story
Alabama State Sen. Jim McClendon of Springville announced this morning he is introducing legislation to set up an Alabama lottery. The people of Alabama have convinced me, the people in my district, that they would like to be able to buy a lottery ticket without having to drive to another state, McClendon said. They'd like to be able to buy a lottery ticket just like folks in 45 states across our nation can do. McClendon is a Republican who sponsored lottery legislation in 2016. That leg
Mar 20, 2019, 2:51 pm - Lottery News

Arkansas bill to keep lottery winner names secret failsNews Story
An effort to keep the identities of some lottery winners secret has failed in the Arkansas House. The proposal to allow winners of more than $500,000 in the state lottery to keep their identities confidential failed in the House on a 39-30 vote last week. The sponsor of the measure said the bill was aimed at protecting lottery winners' safety. The measure was opposed by media groups who said keeping the information secret would prevent the public from knowing if there was any misconduct in
Mar 18, 2019, 10:06 am - Lottery News

Sports betting at Yankee Stadium? It could happen under New York legislationNews Story
A sponsor of sports betting legislation in New York said the bill likely would allow for in-person wagering at places like Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow said Friday the legislation he announced this week is being tweaked and will have that provision unless he receives strong opposition. That is one of the changes, that we would open it up to have affiliates such as Madison Square Garden, which has expressed an interest in doing this, the Westchester Co
Mar 4, 2019, 9:03 am - Lottery News

No sales tax on Mississippi lottery tickets, but winnings will still be taxedNews Story
The Mississippi Legislature is expected to pass a measure clarifying that tickets for state's soon to be rolling lottery are exempt from sales taxes. But the state tax man will still get his cut on lottery winnings in Mississippi: They will be taxed as income, at the same scaled rate of 3 percent to 5 percent as any other income. This is a blow to Jackson, where Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba had been counting on lottery ticket revenue from a 1-cent sales tax in the city tacked on to the 7-cen
Feb 28, 2019, 11:34 am - Lottery News

N.J. weighs keeping lottery winners anonymousNews Story
So you've won the lottery and suddenly you find you have a bunch of new relatives. Distant cousins. A long-lost half-sister. New Jersey lawmakers are looking to protect state lottery winners from potential moochers and scammers by allowing them to remain anonymous. Only a handful of states permit lottery winners to keep their good fortune private, although some allow winners to put their money into trusts, allowing them some degree of anonymity. A bill before the state Senate State Gove
Feb 21, 2019, 5:37 pm - Lottery News

Iowa Lottery prepared to take sports bets if lawmakers approveNews Story
On Wednesday the Iowa legislature began what will likely be a long conversation over legalizing sports gambling in Iowa. A legislative subcommittee considered four separate bills on Wednesday that would legalize betting on professional and collegiate sports. A 2018 US Supreme Court ruling lifted the federal moratorium on the activity. Delaware was the first state to take advantage of the ruling and begin taking bets on sports. Their system allows sports gambling at casinos as well as at lo
Feb 7, 2019, 12:41 pm - Lottery News