§ 4825 — Sports lottery

(a) The Director shall, pursuant to the authority granted under § 4805(a)(1) and (b)(4) of this title, commence a sports lottery as soon as practicable. The Director shall, by rules and regulations, provide for the features and attributes of a sports lottery. The regulations must, in the Director’s judgment, administer the sports lottery in a manner which will produce the greatest income for the State while minimizing or eliminating the risk of financial loss to the State.

(b) A person under the age of 21 may not purchase a sports lottery ticket, or wager on a sports lottery machine, or in any way participate in the sports lottery.

(c) The Director may commence a sports lottery located at facilities operated by video lottery agents licensed by the State and such other sports lottery agents as shall be licensed pursuant to the terms of this chapter. Licenses awarded to video lottery agents relative to the video lottery shall automatically allow those agents to operate facilities at which the sports lottery can be conducted.

(d) The Director may, in the Director’s discretion, grant licenses to operate the sports lottery to sports lottery agents, which shall be a qualified, person, business, organization or entity that owns or operates an appropriate property. Before issuing a license to a sports lottery agent, each person seeking a license shall comply with the criminal background check required by this chapter and at least 1 person shall receive a background check to the standard of a sports lottery operations employee. In granting licenses, the Director shall consider the factors in § 4806(a) of this title and, if the Director shall find that the experience, character and general fitness of the applicant are such that the participation of such a person as a sports lottery agent will be consistent with the public interest, convenience and purposes of this chapter, the Director shall thereupon grant a license. In prioritizing applications for a license under this section, the Director shall give preference to proposals likely to foster economic growth and maximize employment. Change of ownership of the licensed business, organization or entity occurring after the Director has issued a license shall automatically terminate the license 90 days thereafter unless the Director has determined after application to issue a license to the new owner or owners because the new owner or owners have met the requirements of this chapter. Any license granted pursuant to this subsection is a privilege personal to the sports lottery agent and is not a legal right. A license granted or renewed pursuant to this subsection may not be transferred or assigned to another person, nor may a license be pledged as collateral. Each sports lottery agent shall be responsible for the security and safekeeping of the sports lottery machines of which it has physical custody. Each sports lottery agent shall provide access to all records of the licensee and the physical premises of the business or businesses where the agent’s lottery activities occur for the purpose of monitoring or inspecting the agent’s activities and the lottery games, machines and associated equipment. None of the information disclosed pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, § 10001 et seq. of this title. For purposes of this subsection, “a change of ownership” shall have occurred if more than 20% of the legal or beneficial interests in such person, corporation or association shall be transferred, whether by direct or indirect means.

Legislative History

77 Del. Laws, c. 28, § 1 ; 78 Del. Laws, c. 285, § 13