Texas Lottery Being Sued Over Unkept Promises by Lottery Regime

(Austin, Texas) - Man, the Texas Lottery has been going through the ringer over the last year or so. It got started when a group of people were able to pull together millions of dollars to buy every possible number combination through a courier service for a drawing and won that jackpot. The Texas Rangers were brought in to investigate that win.

Because of that investigation, a legitimate winner wasn't able to claim her prize because she used a courier service as well. These courier services are at the heart of the problems for the Texas Lottery. One courier service is now suing the Texas Lottery Commission because of a recent ban put into place.

Texas Lottery Facing Lawsuit After Controversary With Commissioner's Resignation

Former Texas Lottery Commissioner, Gary Grief, allowed the use of courier services to play Texas Lottery games in 2016. These services allow you to buy your tickets through them then someone from the service will buy your ticket and send it to you. This opened up the Texas Lottery games to players outside of Texas.

When Grief resigned, Ryan Mindell took over as commissioner. He recently resigned because of the continued investigation into the Texas Lottery. A ban was also put into place for the use of courier services in Texas.

Texas Lottery Being Sued Over Unkept Promises by Lottery Regime

One of those courier services, lotto.com, is now suing the Texas Lottery Commission (KVUE). Their claim is that both former commissioners, Gary Grief and Ryan Mindell, told them the lottery commission didn't have the authority to ban courier services. lotto.com operates in other states but their business has been impacted negatively since they can't operate in Texas now.

No word on if this lawsuit will go forward. It may be tough for lotto.com and other courier services because of a bill that has passed the Texas Senate recently that would criminalize the use of courier services to play the Texas Lottery in Texas. That bill has to get through the Texas House and signed by Governor Gregg Abbott before anything takes effect, however.