ASSEMBLY TOURISM, GAMING AND THE ARTS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4163

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 25, 2020

      The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4163.           This bill provides for the submission of a lottery claim form and validation of certain lottery claims via the Internet, a mobile application, or other electronic means.

      Currently, payment of lottery prizes not to exceed $599 are redeemed directly from the retailer.  However, lottery prizes of $600 or more require the completion of a New Jersey Lottery Claim Form, which has to be mailed or delivered to the State Lottery headquarters.

      As amended, the bill directs the State Lottery Commission to implement a program that allows residents of this State to submit a lottery claim form and validate a lottery claim for a winning ticket or prize of $600 or more using the Internet, a mobile application, or any other electronic means deemed appropriate by the commission.  Under the bill, the mobile application would allow for the validation of lottery tickets by persons using operating systems approved by the commission, including, but not limited to, the iOS and Android operating systems.  The commission is also required to establish procedures for the payment of winnings to winning ticket holders, which may include crediting amounts won to a player’s Internet or mobile application account or direct deposit into a player’s account at a financial institution.

      In addition to mail or hand-delivery of a lottery claim form, this bill provides lottery players with an electronic option to validate certain winning tickets or prizes.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

The committee amended the bill to:

      (1) permit winning tickets or prizes of only $600 or more to be validated using the Internet, a mobile device, or any other electronic means deems appropriate by the commission.