OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

Hon. Clint A. Barham CountyAttorney Erath- coullty BtqhentQl;le,

or. All or those pa* in thee* numberaaaeatu e~~softhe&ow,andatthi and or the show atitenaatata rolle a eel **around** 005tabliU6 (111the 0 aeats 05 small tlOket8. 805a to draw **a nunbar**  **end** the man aittlng lo the seat whose number omzegponds wltb the number that .lsdrawn is &mm t&O raoney

Ln addition tci

this 

### the cbai68105 tan $?&rtidrnight 1e iire omts high&r than it is on the othbr ,week nfBhls8.”Hon. Clint **A.** Barham, April E6, 1939, Page 2

asotion 47) reads as follows: Article 3 of the State Constitution

Vhe Leglslauureshall pass laws prohlblting the establishment of lotteriesaad gift enterprises

In this state, as well as the sale or tickets in lotteries,gift enterprises or other evasions Involvingthe lotteryprinciple, established

or ex.ist&ng

in other 5tates.v

Ori a5y person shall establl5helott#q or bispme or any eetate, real or per8Onal* **by** lottery, he &all **be** Sined not leas **than** 050 hundred nor more~thau 05e thoiman4dollars1 .or. If my pewon sh+l aal& gffer r0r sale or **keep** *or:

we. any tfa$et or **part** ticket in auy ldttery,a+-1 **be** $+¬ leas tha5 taq~:

. nor: mr+ th&u ~lft~.d~Ilara~~~ The te& *lOttarf'.has no teoh5ioal slgnUloi-. tion~ In the law'and srioae opt statute does .not pr@lbe & definition;

lta wqning mat be deteirained from popular utlagq.doooavling~to?&at Wqti a lottery'lsa #ohm@ for the distribution

oi.prIcea~.by

lot e.ohanoa amo5g Wore who have paid oi hare agreedit pay a aonslderatloP,i~ .t@ right to partialpateth@r~in~~.ar the dietributtoa~ltState t(l.

Randle U.Tex$-dpQI; Featherstaa T& $&~Ieu$ Seqvioa St&ion &asoahtlon of Texaa,,~lO 81 &d lB4; Bodtright',vfL .StA$a; 58 **BW,$htd**

87; Te% W. 'Vol.2S, yage UQ.~:

In the:'oase'of

Featheratone

vs. Independent

Bar-

. vim Station fi+n+tion; >upira; the oourt gave the iollowing derlnlt$onto,~

a lott?:', *A lottery ror all praotioalpurposesw bs derined air

any soheme ror the distribution 0r ~ieekt, by lot or ohcL50dr for one on swing money or giving ,othay thing of.vslue to another obtainsa **token** yhiah.entitleeh* to xeeeive a larger or am@ler value or no qbe, aa scma tormulaor ahanaemay.:detarx&W&

_

T,Eon. ClintA. Sarham,April 26, 1939,'Page3

The Federal CirauitCourt of Appeals in the case OS Peek VB. United Safes, 61 Fed 2nd 973,deiined :a-,lottery

as:

**- ‘** **A** scheme for the distributionof prizes or things or value by lot or chanoe emong personswho have paid or agreed to pay a veluable aonsiderat3.on for the change to obtain a prize. A~hame by whioh a rent&% Is reaohed by some aotion or m t&ma; In whIoh result mm's oholoe or uIll hu no part, nob &II hmran PeMOIl, Mgaolty or duIg5 enable hlil to knew or deter&m umtIl tha.? h+ 'beenaeoomplIsbad.a The Supreste

C&t la the #~e.oi City Ot id vs. OrlilltAmwmment 00.; lnglanguage: loosws5d 695;usadths+ollawWmr0 a theatai eonduoted '8ank l?lgit* at whl P money weus

**awarded, after**  rihowiug or the%mvIng pietWo, by drari56 **number front**  **xi** lque &araphemalIdby members .oZ audlenoe, at publio oould 

### pattloipate without paylx@ a&n$asIonor ~t;hoat'sate.ring theaterdid not prevent the ~ohkme'fmm~'beIng lottery. wQmio'eat a prlzq d&gnated ait free awl glvin with purohaee q'not'bn raot tree though . artlolepmohasml b.wcuth &ll ploe as respeotswhether triwaotion eeonatltutes a lottery -butpaymeatfor~qhanoe Is embraoed in part or purchaseprIoei*"
In the aase.ofQraqt vs. State, 112 Sk'lC68,the court he&d, among other thlngs,'thatr

; *2verydrawIn& &are money.or propertyla offered a8 prlees to JM dfltributed by ohahoe aocording to a specktied soheme or.plan **and** a ticket or tickets-sold whIoh entitles the holder to money or propertyand whlal: is dependentupon ohanoe, is a lottery."Hon. Clint **A.** Berhsm,April 26, 1939, Page 6

You are respectfully advised that It Is the opinion of this Departmentthat a number systemused by a theaterwhere each seat In the theater Is **mmbered** and where a ticket Is selectedor drawn from a number of tickets containing all the numbers on the seats end a money **award** or other thing ot value Is given to the person sitting In the seat that has a number corresponding with the nwnber drawn Is a lottery and the operation thereor 1s.a violationof .@tIcle 654 of the Penal Code.

'lhstingthat the f@regolng answersyour inquiry,we remeln

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