A NEW lottery law is set to come into force that will change how millions of players buy tickets.
It comes months after a probe was launched after a woman thought she had landed a $83.5 million prize.
Kristen Moriarty, from Texas, used the third-party courier service Jackpocket to buy what she thought was a winning slip.
If a gambler uses a courier service, it means they don’t have to step foot inside a store to buy a ticket.
Players pay a fee to the courier and they are sent a screenshot of their ticket.
But a new law, which comes into force on September 1, will see courier services banned across the state, as reported by The Texas Tribune.
Lottery players will also be banned from buying their tickets online.
The measure was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20.
And, the Texas lottery commission will also be abolished as part of the sweeping measures.
If a gambler is caught breaking the law, then they could be hit with a fine of $4,000.
They also risk a jail sentence of up to one year.
The law also threatens the future of the Texas lottery as an institution.
Officials will be required to review the body by August 31, 2029.
Moriarty, who thought she had won the bumper amount, is suing the Texas Lottery.
She thought she had come up trumps following a draw on February 17.
The lawsuit has accused the Texas Lottery of changing the rules relating to courier services after the player’s win.
“Every Texan knows what that should mean when it comes to the lottery – if you win, you should get paid,” the lawsuit, seen by CNN, says.
“It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to get paid when you win the lottery. But that’s exactly what has happened here.”
She remained anonymous for months, but testified in court in June.
Moriarty broke down while testifying.
“I did not do anything wrong,” she told the court.
What is a courier service?
TEXAS lottery officials banned players from using courier services to buy tickets – one week after a gambler thought she had won $83.5 million. But what is a courier service?
A courier service is a third-party platform that allows players to buy lotto tickets.
Gamblers can buy tickets from a lotto courier app or its website. Then, once an order is placed, the courier then buys the ticket from a retailer.
The courier then sends a picture of the ticket to the player.The gambler pays the courier a fee so they can manage their tickets.
The Texas Lottery Commission has refused to comment as the case is a legal matter.
Randy Howry, a lawyer representing the player, told The U.S. Sun in May that she had been caught in the crossfire.
“What the Texas Lottery Commission is attempting to do, we believe it’s illegal,” he claimed.
“Their argument doesn’t have merit whatsoever and I don’t think it will ever stand up.”
Howry revealed the player had decided to waive her anonymity as she is “tired of being ignored.”
“Ready to fight,” he told the CBS affiliate KIAH-TV.
Texas is also investigating a $95 million win dating back to 2023 involving a group who bought 26 million tickets featuring a raft of different combinations.
The state senate voted to ban courier services.
