Anonymity Now an Option for Big Virginia Lottery Winners
Big-ticket lottery winners in Virginia can now choose to keep their identities private, thanks to a new law.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Last Tuesday, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed House Bill 1799 into law, allowing Virginia lottery winners of prizes worth $1 million or more to remain anonymous when claiming their winnings. Sponsored by State Representative Scott Wyatt, the bill aims to provide more privacy for big winners.
Prior to the new legislation, Virginia Lottery winners had to publicly disclose their personal details, including name and photo, for prizes under $10 million.
The new law will be implemented on July 1, 2025. Starting that month, state lottery winners of $1 million or more will no longer have to reveal their identities to the public.
Before passing in the House, the amendment sparked intense debate among lawmakers. Supporters emphasized the need to protect winners' privacy, sharing examples of individuals who faced harassment, scams, and identity theft after their winnings were made public.
On the other hand, opponents argued that disclosing winners' information ensures transparency and trust in the lottery system. They cited concerns that anonymity could facilitate insider wrongdoing or fraud.
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Transparency vs. Privacy
In an ABC-Gaming subcommittee meeting held in January, Megan Rhyne, Executive Director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, voiced his opposition to reducing the disclosure threshold.
According to Rhyne, the previous disclosure amount helps enforce a state law that prohibits Virginia Lottery board members, officers, employees and their household members from participating in the lottery.
He cited an example of how disclosure can prevent "nefarious activities" like the one that was perpetrated by Eddie Tipton, a computer programmer with the Multi-State Lottery Association computer who rigged several high-states drawings, like the Hot Lotto and Powerball, and collected over $2 million in fraudulent winnings.
However, the Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, Khalid Jones, supported the measure. He stated that for lottery winnings above $600, recipients must contact the Virginia Lottery directly to claim their prize.
As part of the verification process, the Virginia Lottery confirms the winner's identity and cross-checks them "through our internal system to ensure that they're not the members of the lottery playing themselves."
While 45 states operate lotteries in the US, only 21 of them allow winners to remain anonymous, based on data from the World Population Review.
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