Texas Senate unanimously votes to abolish Lottery Commission, measure moves to House

The Texas Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill to eliminate the Texas Lottery Commission, which seeks to shift oversight of the state-run lottery to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and a newly formed advisory committee.

The measure, which maintains the lottery’s operation while dissolving its commission, now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration before the legislative session concludes on June 2.

Under the legislation, lottery retailers would be required to implement age verification systems at the point of sale, and oversight of charitable bingo operations would also be transferred to TDLR. The bill also imposes a two-year review period on the state lottery, with the legislature required to approve its continuation by Sept. 1, 2027.

“We had an operation that was stealing from the people of Texas,” said Sen. Bob Hall, a Republican from Edgewood and the bill’s author. “We had an obligation to do something about it and today we’ve done that.”

The vote follows a 12-year routine review of the Lottery Commission, which will expire on Aug. 31 unless reauthorized. Lawmakers have expressed long-standing concerns about the agency’s performance and oversight.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over the vote, praised Hall’s reform efforts. “They have a two-year lease on life,” Patrick said. “We’ll see what happens under the new agency.”

The lottery generated $8.4 billion in sales last year, with 3% of that allocated to administrative costs. Since 1997, it has provided $34 billion to public schools, including $2 billion in 2024, and $267 million to veterans since 2010.

Still, some lawmakers remain skeptical of the lottery's future. “I want to see the lottery killed,” said Rep. Matt Shaheen, a Republican from Prosper who also filed a bill to abolish the program entirely.

The House’s response to the Senate bill remains uncertain, and lawmakers face a tight timeline to resolve the issue before the legislative session ends.