§ 24A — Agreements for creation of multi-jurisdictional lottery game; revenues; notice of odds

[ Subsection (a) effective until July 1, 2024. For text effective July 1, 2024, see below.]Section 24A. (a) For the purposes of this section, "group agreement'' shall mean any lottery activity in which the commission participates pursuant to a written agreement between the commission, on behalf of the commonwealth, and any state, territory, country or other sovereignty. The commission is hereby authorized to enter into agreements with one or more states or other jurisdictions, hereinafter referred to as a group, for the purpose of creating and maintaining multi-jurisdictional lottery games; provided, however, that a group agreement shall not include the state lottery games created pursuant to section 24; provided further, that nothing in this section and nothing in a group agreement shall authorize the commission to make expenditures that are not consistent with restrictions on expenditures by the commission provided in any other general or special law. The group shall determine the types of lotteries to be conducted, the prices of tickets or shares, the manner of selecting the winning tickets or shares, the manner of payment of prizes to the holders of winning tickets or shares and the frequency of the drawings or selection of winning tickets or shares. The commission may establish, and from time to time revise, such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or desirable to carry out the group agreement and shall file the same with the office of the state secretary.[ Subsection (a) as amended by 2024, 140, Sec. 8 effective July 1, 2024. See 2024, 140, Sec. 264. For text effective until July 1, 2024, see above.](a) For the purposes of this section, "group agreement'' shall mean any lottery activity in which the commission participates pursuant to a written agreement between the commission, on behalf of the commonwealth, and any state, territory, country or other sovereignty. The commission is hereby authorized to enter into agreements with 1 or more states or other jurisdictions, hereinafter referred to as a group, for the purpose of creating and maintaining multi-jurisdictional lottery games, including multi-jurisdictional lottery games to be conducted online, over the internet, through the use of a mobile application or through any other means; provided, however, that any such lottery game to be conducted online, over the internet, through the use of a mobile application or through any other means has been properly authorized by each state or other jurisdiction that is part of the group; provided further, that a group agreement shall not include the state lottery games created pursuant to section 24; and provided further, that nothing in this section and nothing in a group agreement shall authorize the commission to make expenditures that are not consistent with restrictions on expenditures by the commission provided for in any other general or special law. The group shall determine the types of lotteries to be conducted, the prices of tickets or shares, the manner of selecting the winning tickets or shares, the manner of payment of prizes to the holders of winning tickets or shares and the frequency of the drawings or selection of winning tickets or shares. The commission may establish, and from time-to-time revise, such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or desirable to carry out the group agreement and shall file the same with the office of the state secretary.(b) The revenues derived from the sale of multi-jurisdictional tickets or shares shall be apportioned under section 25.(c) The commission is hereby authorized to pool and share all or a portion of revenues designated as prize money with the members of the group in accordance with the terms of the group agreement for the purpose of distributing such revenue to holders of winning tickets or shares; provided, however, that the commission may, pursuant to the terms of such group agreement, withhold up to two percent of the prize pool revenue as a reserve fund to be used for the purposes set forth in the group agreement.(d) The commission is hereby authorized to expend appropriated funds on behalf of the commonwealth to the group, a designee of the group and contracted vendors of the group for its share of the costs associated with the start-up and ongoing administrative costs in accordance with the terms of the group agreement.(e) In the fiscal year beginning on July first, nineteen hundred and ninety-seven and in every fiscal year thereafter, one-half of one percent of all net revenue resulting from the establishment of a multi-jurisdictional lottery game shall be allocated by the commission to the department of public health for the operation of a compulsive gambling treatment program.(f) The commission shall print, in a prominent location on each betting slip for the multi-jurisdictional lottery, the overall odds of winning a prize and the following statement: "IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GAMBLING, HELP IS AVAILABLE......CALL 1-800-426-1234.'' The commission shall further require all sales agents for said multi-jurisdictional lottery to post said statement at the point of sale in a manner prescribed and supplied by the commission.(g) All of the provisions of the state lottery law and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder shall apply to this section except such provisions that may be directly contrary to the provisions of this section.