Texas Lottery bans courier services following leadership shakeup and $180M winnings inquiry

A new ban on lottery courier services kicked in Tuesday (Apr. 29), following a unanimous vote by the Texas Lottery Commission (TLO). This decision comes just a week after the commission’s executive director stepped down amid growing pressure and scrutiny from state leaders and lawmakers.

Once the ban passed, acting executive director Sergio Rey said the commission would immediately start enforcing it. That means the TLO can now pull lottery sales licenses from businesses working with couriers.

Ryan Mindell, who stepped in as executive director after Gary Grief retired last year, has now been replaced by Sergio Rey.

The move comes in the wake of two major lottery drawings that awarded nearly $180 million to winners. Those payouts triggered a wave of state investigations last month, as officials raised concerns that both sellers and buyers may have taken advantage of loopholes in the system.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, on the recommendation of Rey, Commissioner Mark Franz decided: “I have during this 30-day period weighed all evidence, and I am persuaded that this is the right move to go forward, and that we should do the maximum amount allowable under our current statute, which is what this does in my understanding.”

New from Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers, says that the Texas Lottery Commission has "inconsistent policy" and a "lack of accountability."#txlege pic.twitter.com/eQwzp8SnVo

— Cameron Abrams (@CameronSAbrams) April 21, 2025

However, the Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers, a group that includes Jackpocket, Jackpot.com, and Lotto.com, has spoken out in response to the Texas Lottery Commission’s decision to ban courier services in the state. Lottery courier services have been legal in Texas since 2019.

In a press release, the group stated: “The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) decision to approve a ban on lottery couriers is the most recent in a series of actions that have undermined the accountability and credibility of an agency whose operations are under investigation.

“Lottery couriers legally operated for years with the cooperation and assistance of the TLC.

“Although the agency repeatedly testified that it had no regulatory authority over couriers, in response to political pressure, the TLC chose to abruptly change course and eliminate businesses, jobs, state revenue and a service millions of Texans use to order lottery tickets.”

In March, ReadWrite reported that the Texas Senate had unanimously passed Senate Bill 28. The bill effectively banned online lottery ticket sales and stopped third-party courier services from buying tickets on behalf of customers.

ReadWrite has reached out to the Texas Lottery for comment.

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