Texas Lottery Director Quits as Jackpot Scandal Heats Up

Ryan Mindell has left his job as the head of the Texas Lottery Commission. His time in charge ended with lots of heat, lawmakers pushing back, and cops looking into the integrity of recent big wins.

Mindell Resigns Amid Firestorm Over $95M Lottery Scandal and Alleged System Exploits

Mindell stepped down from his role, as announced in a brief April 21 press release, after just one year leading the commission. His exit comes as the agency faces a full-blown crisis sparked by a controversial $95 million jackpot win in 2023. Critics, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, say a group that bought almost all possible ticket combinations pulled off this win calling it a system manipulation unlike anything seen before.

The 2023 scandal saw foreign gamblers team up with US ticket-buying companies to get the gear and time they needed to swamp the system with over 25 million tickets. Claims that these firms got special treatment and quick equipment deliveries have made things worse. While lawyers for the gamblers and companies say they stuck to the rules, lawmakers and investigators are not buying it.

This mess has kicked off several probes, including ones led by the Texas Rangers and the state attorney general’s office. Lawmakers have also set their sights on the agency’s habit of letting third-party courier services buy tickets for customers — a loophole they now want to shut for good.

Texas Lottery in Crisis Mode as Lawmakers Target Couriers, Funding, and Agency Oversight

In February, lawmakers questioned Mindell about how couriers might have affected both the 2023 jackpot and a later $83 million win this year, which also involved tickets bought online. Mindell said the agency could not control couriers then, but later said he would stop them from working in Texas. Courier companies hit back hard saying the commission was trying to avoid blame for not watching closely enough.

Things got bad fast. The Texas House wanted to cut all the commission’s money in its budget plan, which could shut down the agency. At the same time, the Senate passed a bill to make using courier services illegal.

Mindell’s departure puts the commission at a turning point. For the time being, Sergio Ray, the commission’s CFO, will take over as acting director. The board plans to talk about what is next, including picking a long-term replacement, at its April 29 meeting.

As the probes go on, the fate of the Texas Lottery — once a steady source of money for public schools — remains uncertain.