BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Senate passed House Bill 504 on Monday morning, a measure that bans large bulk purchases of Idaho lottery tickets and allows officials to deny prizes tied to those transactions.
The bill targets purchases over $5,000 within a 24-hour period. That limit applies whether tickets are bought in one transaction or several, and whether they’re purchased at one store or multiple locations. It also covers people “acting in concert,” meaning coordinating purchases or pooling money to get around the limit.
Under the bill, if the Idaho State Lottery determines a ticket was part of a prohibited bulk transaction, it may deny payment of the prize. The lottery can review purchase records, surveillance video and other evidence when investigating suspicious buying patterns.
Retailers who knowingly help facilitate bulk purchases could face penalties, including losing their license to sell lottery tickets.
During debate on Monday, Sen. Jim Guthrie said some out-of-state corporations have used public records and sales tracking to identify tickets with high-value prizes still available, then bought them in large quantities. Guthrie argued that the practice undermines fairness and the purpose of the lottery.
The Senate passed the bill 30-4, with one senator absent. The measure now returns to the House before heading to the governor. If signed into law, it would take effect on July 1.
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