An Act To Restrict Advertising of and Improve Fairness for State Lottery Games
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0296
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: RYKERSON, ACKLEY, BLUME, HARLOW, HOGAN, O'CONNOR, SPEAR, CHIPMAN, MIRAMANT
Amends: 8 MRSA §374

Legislative Document
No. 296
H.P. 229
House of Representatives, January 31, 2017
An Act To Restrict Advertising of and Improve Fairness for State 
Lottery Games
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RYKERSON of Kittery.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ACKLEY of Monmouth, BLUME of York, HARLOW of 
Portland, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, O'CONNOR of Berwick, SPEAR of South 
Thomaston, Senators: CHIPMAN of Cumberland, MIRAMANT of Knox.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  8 MRSA §374, first ¶, as amended by PL 2015, c. 96, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
The commission shall meet with the director, not less than once each month, to adopt 
and amend rules, subject to the approval of the commissioner, relating to the lotteries; to 
make recommendations and set policy for state lotteries; and to transact other business 
that may be properly brought before the commission.  A lottery under this section may 
include, but is not limited to, a draw game in which the prize paid to a winning player is 
calculated as a share of the prize pool.  A lottery may not include a draw game that has 
more than 5 daily drawings and that pays a player a set prize amount based on the wager 
made by the player and in which the operator keeps all losing wagers, as with the draw 
game commonly known as keno.  Beginning in 2018, prize amounts paid to players 
established by the commission for state lotteries must have an annual aggregate payback 
of 90% of gross revenues or greater. State lotteries may not be marketed, advertised or 
promoted except at locations where tickets or shares are sold.  Rules adopted by the 
commission must be adopted in a manner consistent with Title 5, chapter 375. 
Sec. 2.  8 MRSA §374, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 505, §2, is 
amended to read: 
C.  The number and size of the prizes on the winning tickets or shares in accordance 
with this section; 
Sec. 3.  Commission to adopt rules.  No later than December 1, 2017, the State 
Liquor and Lottery Commission shall adopt rules in accordance with the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 8, section 374, which establishes, for state lotteries, an annual aggregate 
payback to players in the form of prizes of 90% of gross revenues or greater.  Rules 
adopted in accordance with this section and in accordance with Title 8, section 374 must 
also prohibit marketing, advertising and promotion of state lotteries except at locations 
where tickets or shares are sold. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires prizes for state lotteries to have an annual aggregate payback of 
90% of gross revenues or greater.  The bill also states that rules adopted by the State 
Liquor and Lottery Commission must prohibit marketing, advertising and promotion of 
state lotteries except at locations where lottery tickets are sold.  Finally, the bill requires 
the commission to adopt rules governing payback percentages and advertising no later 
than December 1, 2017.