The legislative record shows SB 3070 passed the Senate 31–0 and the House 112–27 and was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025. Under the enrolled bill, all of the commission's lottery and bingo functions transferred to TDLR and its governing body, the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, on September 1, 2025. The Texas Lottery website now carries TDLR's name.
Why was the Texas Lottery Commission abolished?
The commission was already under review by the Sunset Advisory Commission, the body that periodically evaluates Texas state agencies. It found that the commission's governing body had "not risen to the challenge" of overseeing the lottery and often played a passive role. The House committee's analysis of SB 3070 also cites public criticism of how the commission handled lottery courier companies, which by then accounted for an estimated 9 percent of the agency's draw-game ticket sales.
Couriers and bulk buying were the flashpoints. The Sunset staff report records that a winning $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot ticket in 2023 was one of $11 million worth of tickets sold to a single New Jersey-based entity. According to the Sunset Commission's final results report, the Legislature didn't pass the commission's own Sunset bill. After two critical Sunset reports and what the report calls "a series of missteps by the agency," lawmakers abolished the commission through SB 3070 instead.
They kept the lottery itself, at least for now. SB 3070 orders a limited-scope Sunset review of the lottery during the two-year budget period ending August 31, 2029, and says that unless the Legislature continues it, the state lottery is abolished on September 1, 2029.
What changed for Texas lottery players?
Courier apps are banned. SB 3070 makes it an offense to buy, or order the purchase of, a Texas lottery ticket by telephone or through an internet or mobile app, and an offense to run a business that takes such orders. Both are Class A misdemeanors. The law now says a ticket may only be bought in person, at a licensed retailer, during that retailer's normal business hours. Our courier app comparison tracks which states still allow couriers.
There's no online lottery either. Texas doesn't sell draw-game tickets online, and SB 3070's in-person requirement rules it out. The state-by-state iLottery guide lists the states that do sell online.
Bulk buying is limited. A retailer may not sell one person more than 100 tickets in a single transaction, a Class B misdemeanor. Unless TDLR sets a different limit by rule, a single store can't be given more than five terminals or vending machines that print lottery tickets. Retailers must also verify the age of each ticket buyer at the point of sale.
Oversight, retailer licensing, security and complaints now sit with TDLR rather than a dedicated lottery commission. The law requires TDLR's executive director to keep a security office for the lottery and bingo programs.
What stayed the same for Texas players?
The games and the drawings. Lotto Texas, Cash Five, Texas Two Step, Pick 3, Daily 4, All or Nothing, scratch tickets, Powerball and Mega Millions are still sold. You must be 18 to buy a ticket.
Claim rules are also the same. The Texas Lottery's FAQ says draw-game tickets are valid for 180 days from the drawing, and scratch tickets for 180 days after the game closes. According to its claim page:
- Prizes of $599 or less can be cashed at any Texas Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $5,000 can be claimed through the mobile app.
- Prizes up to $2.5 million can be claimed at a local claim center, in Austin or by mail.
- Prizes above $2.5 million up to $5 million go to the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston or San Antonio claim centers or to Austin.
- Prizes above $5 million, all Lotto Texas, Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, and annuity prizes must be claimed at headquarters in Austin, by appointment.
Texas still has no state income tax, so only federal tax applies to a Texas prize. The lottery withholds 24 percent for federal tax on prizes over $5,000, or 30 percent for winners who aren't US citizens or residents. Texas law also lets eligible prize winners choose to remain anonymous; our state-by-state anonymity guide explains the conditions, and lottery tax rates by state compares Texas with the rest. The full claiming process is in how to claim a lottery prize.
Does the scandal mean the games are rigged?
No. Nothing in the Sunset reports or SB 3070 concerns tampering with a drawing. The problems were about who was allowed to sell tickets, how many could be bought at once and how closely the commission oversaw retailers and couriers. Our article on whether the lottery is rigged covers the rare cases where drawings really were manipulated and the safeguards that followed.
Current Texas winning numbers for every game we track are on the Texas lottery results page.
Texas Lottery FAQ
Who runs the Texas Lottery now?
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Senate Bill 3070 abolished the Texas Lottery Commission and transferred the lottery and charitable bingo to TDLR on September 1, 2025.
Why was the Texas Lottery Commission abolished?
The Sunset Advisory Commission found the commission had played a passive role in overseeing the lottery, and lawmakers were critical of how it handled courier companies and bulk ticket purchases, including a 2023 $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot won by a buyer of $11 million in tickets. The Legislature kept the lottery but moved it to TDLR.
Can you still use Jackpocket or other courier apps in Texas?
No. SB 3070 makes it a Class A misdemeanor to buy or order a Texas lottery ticket by phone or through an internet or mobile app. Tickets must be bought in person at a licensed retailer.
Is there a limit on how many Texas lottery tickets you can buy?
Yes. A retailer may not sell one person more than 100 lottery tickets in a single transaction, and unless TDLR sets a different rule, a store can't have more than five ticket-printing terminals or vending machines.
Did anything change about Texas Lottery draws or claiming prizes?
No. The games, drawings and claim centers are the same, and winning draw-game tickets are still valid for 180 days. Texas has no state income tax on lottery prizes.
Sources: Texas Legislature Online (SB 3070 history, enrolled text and House committee bill analysis); Sunset Advisory Commission staff report with final results (July 2025); Texas Lottery FAQ and claim page. Help with problem gambling: 1-800-MY-RESET.
