Relating to the state lottery; and prescribing an effective date.
HB 3115 makes several changes to Oregon’s state lottery laws, primarily aimed at preventing the commercial trafficking of winning lottery tickets and shares. It prohibits selling or buying a winning ticket or share, and it also bars a person from claiming a winning ticket or share for someone else in exchange for compensation, except for prizes that the Oregon State Lottery Commission already authorizes retailers to pay under existing law. The bill directs the commission to adopt rules to enforce these new restrictions.
The bill also adds tax provisions for lottery tickets purchased in violation of the new anti-trafficking rule. If the purchase price of such a ticket is deductible for federal tax purposes, Oregon requires that amount to be added back into federal taxable income for Oregon tax purposes. These tax changes apply to purchases made in tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
In addition, HB 3115 amends ORS 461.250, which governs how lottery prizes are validated and paid. The bill preserves and clarifies existing rules on prize verification, age restrictions, prize claim deadlines, nonassignability of prizes, beneficiary designations for deceased winners, exclusions for lottery employees and their families, military-service protections for claim deadlines, and confidentiality of winner names and addresses. It also retains the commission’s authority to set rules for retailer payment of smaller prizes and to manage unclaimed prizes for public purposes.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears favorable, with strong bipartisan support in both chambers. It passed the House committee 9-1, the House floor 52-1, the Senate committee 4-0, and the Senate floor 23-5, indicating broad agreement on the need to curb lottery ticket resale and related abuses. The lack of committee transcripts suggests no major recorded public debate in the available materials.
The main point of contention is likely the scope of the new prohibition on buying, selling, or brokering winning tickets and shares, especially as it could affect informal transfers or third-party claims for compensation. Another possible issue is the tax treatment of tickets purchased in violation of the law, which may be seen as an added deterrent. However, the vote margins suggest these concerns did not prevent passage.
HB 3115 creates new statutory restrictions in ORS chapter 461 against trafficking in winning lottery tickets and shares, and it authorizes the Oregon State Lottery Commission to adopt enforcement rules. It also amends Oregon tax law in ORS chapters 316 and 317 to require certain disallowed lottery-ticket purchase amounts to be added back to Oregon taxable income when the purchase price is deducted federally, beginning with tax years starting on or after January 1, 2026. The bill leaves existing prize-payment and validation rules largely intact while clarifying the commission’s authority over prize claims, retailer payments, unclaimed prizes, beneficiary designations, military exemptions, and confidentiality protections.
The bill appears to have received generally positive and low-conflict consideration. It advanced with strong margins in both the House and Senate, including unanimous committee support in the Senate and only one no vote in the House committee and House floor. The final Senate floor vote was still favorable, though with more opposition than earlier stages, suggesting some limited concern but no broad resistance.
The most notable policy concern is the new ban on selling, buying, or claiming winning tickets or shares for compensation, which could be viewed as restricting secondary-market activity or third-party assistance. The tax provisions may also have drawn attention because they impose an Oregon tax consequence tied to a federally deductible expense arising from unlawful ticket purchases. No committee testimony is available here, so the specific objections are not documented, but the recorded no votes indicate some disagreement with the approach or breadth of the restrictions.