The Texas Lottery
Read the latest updates on news relating to the Texas lottery, gambling, lottery commission
The Texas Lottery
About This Ongoing Series
Formed in 1991, the Texas Lottery has long been a source of controversy. First, for not funding public education as promised, and later, for acting outside the intent of the law. Over the last decade, the Lottery Commission took actions that many have likened to a “money laundering operation.” In May 2025, the Lottery Commission was abolished by the Texas Legislature, with game oversight sent to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Exposed Podcast
Article Archive
Lottery Commission Staff Still Runs the Texas Lottery and Bingo
During the short public portion of its meeting, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's board appointed staff and an auditor from the scandal-plagued Lottery Commission to continue running the state’s lottery and bingo operations. TDLR board Vice Chair...
Judge Sends Lottery Rigging Case Back to Travis County District Court
Judge Melissa Andrews of Texas’ Business Court has remanded a high-profile lawsuit involving the alleged rigging of the Texas Lottery back to a Travis County district court. The ruling follows the plaintiff’s decision to drop certain allegations that had triggered the...
Texas Lottery Winner Finally Receives Jackpot After Lawsuit
Kristen Moriarty will finally receive her jackpot after a months-long legal battle over the unpaid prize. A letter filed in a Travis County District Court has settled the high-profile lawsuit involving the Texas Lottery Commission. As previously reported by Texas...
Audio: Gambling Executive Boasts About Rigged Texas Jackpot
Newly surfaced audio of Greg Potts, chief operating officer of Lottery.com, suggests the company was intimately involved in the controversial April 2023 Lotto Texas event, which guaranteed a $95 million jackpot win for a single buyer. The audio bolsters Lt. Gov. Dan...
Reversal: Judge Forces Disclosure of Corporate Interests in Lottery Rigging Case
Judge Melissa Andrews of Texas’ Business Court has forced the disclosure of hidden corporate interests allegedly involved in rigging the Texas Lottery. The controversy surrounding the jackpot in question led Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to describe the Texas Lottery as...
Judge Refuses To Expose Hidden Corporate Interests in Alleged Rigging of Texas Lottery
Judge Melissa Andrews of Texas’ newly established Business Court has declined to require disclosure of hidden corporate interests allegedly involved in rigging the Texas Lottery. This raises questions about whether the court prioritizes secrecy over accountability. As...
Texas Business Court Takes Up $95 Million Lottery Rigging Lawsuit
This article has been updated since publication. A case involving a lottery winner who claims his jackpot should have been $95 million higher due to a rigging scandal is being heard in the new Texas Business Court, after the court asserted jurisdiction. Jerry Reed...
Texas Lottery Operator Rebrands Amid Scandals
International Game Technology PLC is rebranding its global business to Brightstar Lottery amid scandals surrounding its operation of the Texas Lottery. The announcement comes one year after IGT reached a deal with asset management firm Apollo Global Management to...
Judge: Texas Lottery Commissioners Must Protect Disputed $83.5M Jackpot
A state judge in Travis County has ordered that Texas Lottery commissioners must hold on to an $83.5 million jackpot won by a woman in February that has not yet been paid out. Earlier this week, District Judge Aurora Martinez Jones ruled that the jackpot could not be...