This weekend, a new law will require the names and addresses of Oregon Lottery winners to be anonymous. Previously, a winner’s name was public record under Oregon’s public records law. Under House Bill 3115, Oregon Lottery may not publicly disclose a winner’s name and address without the winner’s written authorization.
The Oregon State Lottery Commission approved rules to implement the new law passed during the recent legislative session. Under the rules, Oregon Lottery may release other public information about a prize win such as the city in which the winner resides, the retailer that sold the winning ticket, the game played, and the prize amount. A winner may authorize Lottery in writing to use their name and photos but otherwise, Lottery will not release a winner’s name and address.
House Bill 3115 also prohibits the purchase or sale of a winning lottery ticket in response to a cottage industry of so-called “discounters.” The discounters buy winning tickets for less than their value from players, then cash them in for the prize amount. While some players choose to sell their tickets to avoid driving to an Oregon Lottery payment center, others may do so to avoid having their prize garnished for outstanding child support or public assistance overpayments, as required by Oregon law.
Under rules adopted by the Oregon State Lottery Commission, Lottery officials will evaluate prize claims to determine if the tickets were bought, sold, or claimed in violation of the law. If a winning ticket is found to be in violation, Lottery will deny the prize claim and confiscate the ticket.
You can find FAQs regarding winner anonymity on the Oregon Lottery’s website.
