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
Harris County Official Disputes $1 Billion Flood Bond Discrepancies
A Harris County official is pushing back against reports of a $1 billion discrepancy in flood bond funds, labeling the allegations as "inaccurate and based on misinterpretations of the content included in recent reports." Emily Woodell, Chief External Affairs Officer...
City of Austin Unveils Another Record-Setting Budget
A politically created affordability crisis in Texas’ capital city is poised to worsen, even as the Texas Legislature is set to address local government spending statewide. On Friday evening, Austin’s city manager released a $6.3 billion budget proposal. This...
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Pushes for Taxpayer-Funded International Trips
Harris County Commissioners once again rejected a proposed overhaul to the county’s international travel policy—one closely tied to Democrat County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s recent trade mission to Paris. The vote ended in a 2–2 tie, effectively preserving the existing...
Harris County Flood Bond Reports Show Unexplained $1 Billion Discrepancy
Harris County’s Flood Control District is facing scrutiny after a local watchdog identified a billion-dollar discrepancy in the accounting of the 2018 flood bond program. Recent HCFCD financial reports appear to show a sudden drop of more than $1 billion in available...
Will San Antonio’s New Mayor Continue to Fund DEI Initiatives Amid Budget Crisis?
The recent inauguration of San Antonio’s liberal mayor Gina Ortiz Jones raises continued questions over city officials’ commitment to left-wing principles, even amid a budgetary crisis. A San Antonio City Council meeting on the budgetary priorities for 2026 and 2027...
IRS Withholds Wages of Arlington Mayor Over Federal Tax Debt
Records obtained by the Dallas Express show the Internal Revenue Service has begun withholding funds from the wages of Arlington Mayor Jim Ross to cover more than $174,000 of personal federal tax debt. Arlington taxpayers are questioning whether Ross can effectively...
Austin ISD Considers Consolidating Schools Amid Budget Shortfalls
Austin Independent School District trustees are considering merging several schools to reduce costs in the wake of budget shortfalls. During a board of trustees meeting Thursday, district leaders weighed community concerns and the economic benefits of consolidating...
Harris County Agencies Reportedly Spent Millions With No Paper Trail
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo stressed that county agencies—including the toll road authority— spent millions of dollars without following a procurement process or maintaining a paper trail. “Not only are [drivers] still paying tolls, the toll money is being spent...
Harris County Faces $1.3 Billion Shortfall in Flood Bond Projects
Almost seven years after Harris County voters approved a $2.5 billion flood bond to protect residents from future storms, a newly confirmed budget shortfall threatens to derail dozens of critical projects. County officials revealed this week that the flood control...