An Act To Update the Laws Relating to the Tri-state Lotto and the Payment of Prizes to Minors
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0938
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: LUCHINI, MASON
Amends: 8 MRSA §385, 8 MRSA §403, 8 MRSA §409, 8 MRSA §415, 8 MRSA §416-A, 8 MRSA §417

Legislative Document 
No. 938 
H.P. 662 
House of Representatives, March 7, 2013 
An Act To Update the Laws Relating to the Tri-state Lotto and the 
Payment of Prizes to Minors 
Submitted by the Department of Administrative and Financial Services pursuant to Joint 
Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth. 
Cosponsored by Representative MASON of Topsham. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  8 MRSA §385, as corrected by RR 1993, c. 1, §18, is amended to read: 
§385.  Persons under 18 years; payment of prizes 
If the person entitled to a prize or any winning ticket is under the age of 18 years and 
the prize is less than $5,000, the director may direct payment of the prize by delivery of a 
check or draft payable to the order of the minor to an adult member of the minor's family 
or a guardian of the minor. If the person entitled to a prize or any winning ticket is under 
the age of 18 years and the prize is $5,000 or more of age, the director or the director's 
designee may direct payment to the minor by depositing the amount of the prize in any 
bank financial institution to the credit of an adult member of the minor's family or 
guardian as custodian for the minor.  The person named as custodian has the same duties 
and powers as a person designated as a custodian in a manner prescribed by the "Maine 
Uniform Transfers to Minors Act."  For purposes of this section, the terms "adult member 
of a minor's family," "guardian of a minor" "custodian" and "bank" "financial institution" 
have the same meanings as set out in that Act.  The director or the director's designee is 
relieved of all further liability upon payment of a prize to a minor pursuant to this section. 
Sec. 2.  8 MRSA §403, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is amended to read: 
§403.  Statement of purpose 
This compact is enacted to implement the operation of Tri-state Lotto for the purpose 
of raising additional revenue for each of the party states. Tri-state Lotto is not intended to 
replace any existing lottery games in the party states but, rather, to be run in addition to 
those games.  Tri-state Lotto tickets will be sold in each of the party states and processed 
in a central area to be determined by the commission.  Fifty percent Not less than 50% of 
the gross sales from each state will be aggregated in a common prize pool, and operating 
costs will be charged proportionally, according to sales, to the party states. The remaining 
revenues generated within each state will remain in that particular state. 
Sec. 3.  8 MRSA §409, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is 
amended to read: 
B.    The price of the tickets in the lotteries; 
Sec. 4.  8 MRSA §409, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is 
amended to read: 
E.    The frequency of the drawings or selections of winning tickets; 
Sec. 5.  8 MRSA §415, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1999, c. 64, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
2.  Tri-state Lotto Prize Account. Within one week after a Tri-state Lotto drawing 
has been held or selection of winning tickets, the party state lottery or commission shall 
pay to the commission, who in turn shall promptly pay to an account known as the 
Tri-state Lotto Prize Account, such money as is necessary for the payment of prizes, less 
actual prizes paid by the respective party state in the preceding week, but not to exceed 
60% less than 50% of the total amount for which tickets have been sold. 
Sec. 6.  8 MRSA §416-A, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 652, §2 and 
affected by §4, is amended to read: 
10.  Other state debts.  This compact recognizes that each party state has enacted 
laws authorizing a party state agency to collect offset against lottery winnings debts owed 
for child support debts and arrearages, unemployment overpayment and tax liability.  
Upon receipt of notice from a party state agency, the commission shall suspend payment 
of winnings in the amount of the child support debt or arrearage and notify the winner.  
Child support Any debts and arrearages of a winner under this subsection must be offset 
by the commission in the manner in which the state lottery or commission of a party state 
is required by law to offset those debts and arrearages. 
Sec. 7.  8 MRSA §417, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is amended to read: 
§417.  Unclaimed prize money 
Unclaimed prize money for the prize on a winning ticket shall must be retained by the 
commission for payment to the person entitled thereto to the prize money for one year 
after the drawing or selection of a winning ticket in which the prize was won.  If no a 
claim is not made for the prize within one year from the date of the drawing or selection 
of a winning ticket, the prize money shall must be credited to the prize pool.  Upon the 
expiration of a one-year time period from the drawing date or selection of a winning 
ticket, the ticket holder shall forfeit forfeits any claim or entitlement to the prize moneys 
money. 
SUMMARY 
This bill clarifies the payment of lottery prizes to minors.  It fixes a discrepancy 
between the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, sections 403 and 415 and sets the minimum 
payout by the Tri-state Lotto Commission for prizes to not less than 50% of gross sales.  
It allows for the Tri-state Lotto Commission to implement both draw and instant ticket 
games as part of the Tri-state Lotto game portfolio.  It adds language to require the 
Tri-state Lotto Commission to offset against winnings, in addition to debts for child 
support, debts related to unemployment overpayment and tax liabilities.