Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 27 - TAXATION AND FINANCE (§§ 27-1-1 — 27-117-15) › Chapter 115 - ALYCE G. CLARKE MISSISSIPPI LOTTERY LAW (§§ 27-115-1 — 27-115-91) › Section 27-115-73 - Sale of lottery tickets to or purchase by persons under the age of twenty-one prohibited; responsibility of lottery retailers to verify age of purchaser; penalties

(1)
(a)
No lottery retailer and no agent, associate, employee, representative or servant of any such person shall allow any illegal lottery device to be on its premises, nor shall any lottery retailer, agent, associate, employee, representative or servant sell a lottery ticket to any person unless the person submits any one (1) of the following forms of identification which establish the age of the person as twenty-one (21) years or older:
(i)
A valid and current Mississippi driver's license which contains a photograph of the person presenting the driver's license.
(ii)
A valid and current driver's license of another state which contains a photograph of the person submitting the driver's license.
(iii)
A valid and current special identification card issued by the State of Mississippi containing a photograph of the person submitting the identification card.
(iv)
A valid and current passport or visa issued by the federal government or another country or nation that contains a permanently attached photograph of the person submitting the passport or visa.
(v)
A valid and current military or federal identification card issued by the federal government containing a photograph of the person submitting the identification card.
(vi)
A valid and current tribal identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe containing a photograph of the person submitting the identification card.
(b)
Each form of identification listed in paragraph (a) of this subsection must on its face establish the age of the person as twenty-one (21) years of age or older, and there must be no reason to doubt the authenticity or correctness of the identification. No form of identification mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be accepted as proof of age if it is expired, defaced, mutilated or altered. If the driver's license, state special identification card or lawful identification submitted is a duplicate, the person shall submit additional identification which contains the name, date of birth and photograph of the person.
(c)
An educational institution identification card, check-cashing identification card, or employee identification card shall not be considered as lawful identification for the purposes of this subsection.
(2)
Any lottery retailer who knowingly sells a lottery ticket to a person under twenty-one (21) years of age will be fined not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for the first offense and, for each subsequent offense, not less than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) and may be disqualified as a lottery retailer.
(3)
(a)
It is unlawful for any person under twenty-one (21) years of age to purchase a lottery ticket.
(b)
Whoever violates the provisions of this subsection shall be fined not more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).
(c)
Any person apprehended while violating the provisions of this subsection shall be issued a citation by the apprehending law enforcement officer, which shall be paid in the same manner as provided for the offenders of local traffic violations.
Amended by Laws, 2021, ch. 378, HB 277,§ 3, eff. 7/1/2021.
Added by Laws, 2018EX1, ch. 2, SB 2001,§ 37, eff. 9/1/2018.