An Act To Restrict Advertising of and Improve Fairness for State Lottery Games
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §374, first ¶, as amended by PL 2015, c. 96, §1, is further amended to read:
The commission shall meet with the director, not less than once each month, to adopt and amend rules, subject to the approval of the commissioner, relating to the lotteries; to make recommendations and set policy for state lotteries ; and to transact other business that may be properly brought before the commission. A lottery under this section may include, but is not limited to, a draw game in which the prize paid to a winning player is calculated as a share of the prize pool. A lottery may not include a draw game that has more than 5 daily drawings and that pays a player a set prize amount based on the wager made by the player and in which the operator keeps all losing wagers, as with the draw game commonly known as keno. Beginning in 2018, prize amounts paid to players established by the commission for state lotteries must have an annual aggregate payback of 90% of gross revenues or greater. State lotteries may not be marketed, advertised or promoted except at locations where tickets or shares are sold. Rules adopted by the commission must be adopted in a manner consistent with Title 5, chapter 375.
Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §374, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 505, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 3. Commission to adopt rules. No later than December 1, 2017, the State Liquor and Lottery Commission shall adopt rules in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 374, which establishes, for state lotteries, an annual aggregate payback to players in the form of prizes of 90% of gross revenues or greater. Rules adopted in accordance with this section and in accordance with Title 8, section 374 must also prohibit marketing, advertising and promotion of state lotteries except at locations where tickets or shares are sold.
SUMMARY
This bill requires prizes for state lotteries to have an annual aggregate payback of 90% of gross revenues or greater. The bill also states that rules adopted by the State Liquor and Lottery Commission must prohibit marketing, advertising and promotion of state lotteries except at locations where lottery tickets are sold. Finally, the bill requires the commission to adopt rules governing payback percentages and advertising no later than December 1, 2017.