TEXAS — A bill banning online lottery courier services passed the Texas Senate unanimously on Thursday.

Senate Bill 28 was authored by Sen. Bob Hall, R-Rockwall. Couriers who buy tickets from stores for online customers to circumvent in-person mandates are the main target of this bill.

Hall testified in committee hearings that, in his opinion, couriers are already outlawed in the state, but the Texas Lottery Commission has neglected to enforce this.

On Monday, the Lottery Commission said it will ban courier services soon, walking back years of resistance to the measure. 

The Sunset Committee is examining the Texas Lottery Commission and may suggest its abolishment.

“I see no way we could actually manage control a honest lottery process, as long as we have people involved in it, because they’ve demonstrated it doesn’t matter what the law says, they’re going to do it the way they want it to do,” said Hall.

Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers issued a statement about the passing of Senate Bill 28 saying, “We are disappointed that a pro-business state like Texas would consider shutting down companies that have for years followed the guidance and instruction of the Texas Lottery and honored the trust of millions of Texas customers.”

Attorney General Ken Paxton also launched an investigation Wednesday into the Texas Lottery process.

“I’m deeply concerned about the integrity of our state’s lottery system, especially when it appears that non-citizens have shown that they are attempting to rig the system to win on demand,” said Paxton. “Texas citizens deserve far better than bad actors getting rich off of a lottery system that is open to exploitation, and we will hold anyone who engages in illegal activity accountable.” 

The Texas House of Representatives will now consider this bill, which is in contrast to Rep. John Bucy III’s bill that would regulate, rather than ban, couriers. 

The bill can be found below: