The commission will take final action after a public comment period. The cut would be available to retailers who have sold lotto tickets for three years. That would include about half of the 14,000 retailers. The panel began looking at the payments last year after the Texas Association of Lottery Retailers organized and asked for the review.
Retailers say the lottery attracts customers who sometimes buy other merchandise.
The higher the jackpots, the more customers the retailers attract. But many retailers say the 5 percent commission makes lottery little better than a break-even product. Some retailers say lottery sales can be a time-consuming chore for their clerks and that long lines sparked by high prizes can scare away business. Commission Chairwoman Harriet Miers on Friday reassured retailers that the commission has a vested interest in their success. We do appreciate the efforts you have made to cooperate with us.