Verticals / Lottery
Lottery
State lotteries are legal and live in 45 states and DC, as of Oct 12, 2026.
State lottery (draw games, scratch, retail).
LiveProhibitedNot authorized
States live over time
197019801990200020102020NYMS46
By state
| State | Status | Launched | Model | Current tax | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Live | Jul 1, 1981 | Monopoly State | Created by voter-approved Proposition 200 (Nov. 1980); first instant scratch tickets ("Scratch It Rich") sold July 1, 1981. Joined Powerball April 4, 1994 and Mega Millions April 18, 2010. | |
| Arkansas | Live | 2009 | Monopoly State | Amendment 87 was approved 648,122-383,467 (about 63%-37%) on November 4, 2008, authorizing the state to establish, operate, and regulate a lottery to fund the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program (college scholarships/grants for Arkansas residents). Ticket sales and scholarship funding began in 2009; more than $1.1-1.4 billion in scholarship proceeds had been raised as of recent reporting. A 2024 companion amendment (Issue 1/Amendment 2024, approved ~89.6%, effective January 1, 2025) expanded eligible uses of lottery proceeds to vocational-technical schools and technical institutes, which the original 2008 text had excluded. | |
| California | Live | 1985 | Monopoly State | Created by Proposition 37 (Nov. 1984); the Lottery Act requires that 87% of total sales return to the public as prizes and contributions to public education combined. | |
| Colorado | Live | Jan 24, 1983 | Monopoly State | Draw games, scratch (Scratch), and multistate games; proceeds fund Great Outdoors Colorado, public school capital construction, and conservation trust fund. | |
| Connecticut | Live | 1972 | Monopoly State | Connecticut Lottery Corporation runs scratch and draw games including multistate Powerball and Mega Millions; legislature authorized the lottery in 1971 and sales began in 1972. FY2015 gross sales were $1.1B with $707M paid in prizes. | |
| Delaware | Live | Mar 1, 1975 | Monopoly State | Created by the General Assembly May 31, 1974. | |
| District of Columbia | Live | 1982 | Monopoly State | DC Lottery has operated since 1982 and has awarded more than $5 billion in prizes; member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). | |
| Florida | Live | Jan 12, 1988 | Monopoly State | Voters approved a constitutional amendment creating the lottery on 1986-11-04; first ticket sales and drawing followed in January-March 1988. Member of multistate games including Powerball (added 2009) and Mega Millions (added 2013). | |
| Georgia | Live | Jun 29, 1993 | Monopoly State | Created by the Lottery for Education Act in November 1992; funds the HOPE Scholarship/grant programs and the Georgia Pre-K Program. First tickets sold June 29, 1993. | |
| Idaho | Live | Jul 1989 | Monopoly State | Created by a 1988 citizen initiative; the enabling chapter was added by 1988 Idaho Session Laws ch. 232. First ticket sold July 1989 (per the Lottery's agency performance report). Sells Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, and Millionaire for Life plus in-state draw/scratch games. | |
| Illinois | Live | Jul 30, 1974 | Monopoly State | No fixed tax rate; Illinois Lottery operates on a profit-transfer model under the private manager agreement (20 ILCS 1605/9.1) rather than a statutory tax rate. OTHER | Run under a private-manager management agreement (currently Camelot Illinois, selected 2017) per 20 ILCS 1605/9.1; draw games, scratch-offs, and retail sales statewide. |
| Indiana | Live | Oct 13, 1989 | Monopoly State | Voters approved a constitutional amendment lifting Indiana's 1851 lottery ban on Nov. 8, 1988 (62%); the General Assembly ratified the Lottery Act May 3, 1989 and the governor signed it the following week. First scratch-ticket sales began Oct. 13, 1989, at 12:10 p.m.; the first draw game (Hoosier Lotto) launched in April 1990. | |
| Iowa | Live | Aug 22, 1985 | Monopoly State | Enabling legislation signed into law in April 1985 by Gov. Terry Branstad (after two earlier vetoes); the Lottery began ticket sales August 22, 1985, with a kickoff at the Iowa State Fair. Draw games (Powerball, Powerball Xs & Os, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Millionaire For Life, Pick 3, Pick 4), scratch games, InstaPlay, and pull-tabs sold through authorized retailers only. | |
| Kansas | Live | 1987 | Monopoly State | Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to authorize a state-owned and -operated lottery; the Legislature then enacted the Kansas Lottery Act in 1987, and ticket sales began in 1987 in 21 cities. Kansas is an original participant (since June 2002, alongside Nebraska) in 2by2, a MUSL regional daily-draw game also offered by Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming.? | |
| Kentucky | Live | Apr 4, 1989 | Monopoly State | Created by constitutional amendment and a legislative act passed in 1988 (KRS Chapter 154A), per the Kentucky Lottery Corporation's own 2019 presentation to the General Assembly's Program Review Committee. Kentucky Lottery ticket sales began April 4, 1989, 'at over 5,000 licensed retailers.' | |
| Louisiana | Live | Sep 6, 1991 | Monopoly State | Louisiana voters approved a constitutional amendment creating a lottery in 1990; the Louisiana Lottery Corporation Law (R.S. 47:9000) was enacted as Acts 1990, No. 1045, effective Nov. 7, 1990. The Corporation began operating Jan. 15, 1991 after Senate confirmation of its board, and released its first scratch-off game, Louisiana Treasures, on Sept. 6, 1991. This ended the state's prior reliance on neighboring states' lotteries (notably Florida's) for cross-border player spending. | |
| Maine | Live | Jun 27, 1974 | Monopoly State | Created by "An Act Providing for a State Lottery" (L.D. 1242), which the Legislature referred to a statewide referendum; voters approved it 154,911-90,433 on Nov. 6, 1973 (P.L. 1973, c. 570). The Lottery began ticket sales with the 50-cent weekly "Play Me" draw game and held its first drawing on June 27, 1974. Now offers scratch tickets, in-state daily games (Pick 3, Pick 4, Cash POP), Tri-State regional games with New Hampshire and Vermont (Megabucks, Gimme 5), and national multistate games (Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Millionaire for Life). | |
| Maryland | Live | Jan 2, 1973 | Monopoly State | Created by a 1972 constitutional amendment (Ch. 364, Acts of 1972) that carved a state-operated-lottery exception into Md. Const. art. III, § 36's general prohibition on legislatively authorized lotteries; voters ratified it Nov. 7, 1972 (773,148-234,141), and the Lottery began operating January 2, 1973. Multistate games have included Powerball (joined Jan. 2010 cross-sell expansion), Mega Millions (from 1996 as "The Big Game," renamed 2002), and Cash4Life (joined Jan. 26, 2016). Cash4Life and Lucky for Life were retired multistate-wide after their Feb. 21, 2026 drawings and replaced by a new game, Millionaire for Life, launched Feb. 22, 2026; Maryland's own current games page (retrieved Oct. 2026) lists only Powerball and Mega Millions as multistate jackpot games and does not list Millionaire for Life, Cash4Life, or Lucky for Life, so Maryland appears not to have joined the replacement game. | |
| Massachusetts | Live | Mar 22, 1972 | Monopoly State | Created by the Legislature in Sept. 1971; first ticket sales began Mar 22, 1972; first drawing held Apr 6, 1972 at Faneuil Hall. Among the largest lotteries in the US by per-capita sales. | |
| Michigan | Live | Nov 13, 1972 | Monopoly State | Gov. William Milliken signed 1972 PA 239 (the McCauley-Traxler-Law-Bowman-McNeely Lottery Act), creating the Bureau of State Lottery; the act took immediate effect Aug. 1, 1972. Michigan Lottery ticket sales began with the "Green Ticket" game on November 13, 1972. | |
| Minnesota | Live | Apr 17, 1990 | Monopoly State | Created by a 1988 constitutional amendment (~59% approval) that carved a state-operated exception into the Minn. Const. art. XIII, § 5 general ban on lotteries; first ticket sales April 17, 1990. A 1990 companion amendment dedicates 40% of net proceeds to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, with the remainder to the general fund by statute. | |
| Mississippi | Live | Nov 25, 2019 | Monopoly State | Enacted as S.B. 2001 in the 2018 First Extraordinary Session: the House gave final passage (58-54) on Aug. 28, 2018, the governor approved the bill Aug. 31, 2018, and it took effect Sept. 1, 2018. Scratch-off ticket sales began Nov. 25, 2019, ahead of a planned Dec. 1, 2019 target, with more than 1,200 retailers at launch and over $2.5 million in first-day sales. Net proceeds are deposited in the Lottery Proceeds Fund; by statute the first $80 million per fiscal year goes to the State Highway Fund, and the remainder to the Education Enhancement Fund. | |
| Missouri | Live | Jan 20, 1986 | Monopoly State | Voters created the lottery via a 1984 constitutional amendment carving a state-lottery exception into the Mo. Const. art. III, § 39 general ban on lotteries ("Except as otherwise provided in section 39(b)...to authorize lotteries or gift enterprises for any purpose"); sales began January 20, 1986, with a single Scratchers game ("Jackpot '86"). Proceeds went to General Revenue until voters approved Amendment 11 on Nov. 3, 1992, earmarking 100% of net proceeds for public education starting FY1994. | |
| Montana | Live | Jun 24, 1987 | Monopoly State | Created by voter-approved Legislative Referendum 100 (Nov. 4, 1986, ~69% yes in all 56 counties), exercising the people's constitutional power to authorize gambling by referendum under Mont. Const. art. III, § 9; codified as the Montana State Lottery Act of 1985 at Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 7. First ticket sold June 24, 1987. Currently offers Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, and Millionaire for Life as multistate games, plus in-state draw/scratch games. | |
| Nebraska | Live | Sep 11, 1993 | Monopoly State | Voters approved a 1991-Legislature-referred constitutional amendment (LR 24CA) on Nov. 3, 1992 (~63% approval) letting the Legislature authorize a state lottery; the Legislature created the Nebraska Lottery, a division of the Dept. of Revenue, on Feb. 24, 1993. It began selling instant (scratch) tickets Sept. 11, 1993 (the 37th state lottery) and on-line/lotto games (Powerball) on July 21, 1994. Draw games now include Powerball, Mega Millions, Pick 5, Lotto America, Millionaire for Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, 2by2 and MyDaY; minimum age 19 (lower than the state's 21+ casino/sports-wagering age). | |
| New Hampshire | Live | Mar 12, 1964 | Monopoly State | The New Hampshire General Court approved the New Hampshire Sweepstakes in 1963, the first modern legal US state lottery, at the urging of Rep. Larry Pickett. A special local-option election on Mar. 10, 1964 let each city/town vote on allowing ticket sales (only 13 of 224 communities voted no); tickets went on sale two days later, Mar. 12, 1964. Net proceeds, after Lottery Commission and racing/charitable-gaming-enforcement costs, go to the education trust fund (RSA 198:39). The lottery offers draw games, scratch tickets, and multi-state games (Powerball, Mega Millions). | |
| New Jersey | Live | Dec 16, 1970 | Monopoly State | NJ Lottery Commission formed Nov. 20, 1969; first draw game (Pick-3) began May 22, 1975, instant/scratch games since June 16, 1975. | |
| New Mexico | Live | 1996 | Monopoly State | Created by legislation signed April 5, 1995 (Lottery Board of Directors appointed August 14, 1995; first CEO began work November 20, 1995); Powerball launched October 20, 1996. Current in-house draw games include Roadrunner Cash, Pick 3 Plus and Pick 4 Plus, plus scratchers; net proceeds benefit the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program. | |
| New York | Live | Jun 17, 1967 | Monopoly State | Voters approved a state constitutional amendment authorizing a government-run lottery for education on Nov. 8, 1966 (over 60% in favor); the Legislature created the Division of the Lottery and a Lottery Commission within the Department of Taxation and Finance in 1967, making New York the second US state lottery after New Hampshire (1964). The Commission's 50th-anniversary history identifies first ticket sales at New York City banks on June 17, 1967. | |
| North Carolina | Live | Mar 30, 2006 | Monopoly State | The State Lottery Act (S.L. 2005-344, H.B. 1023) passed the Senate 25-24 on a tie-breaking vote by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue on Aug. 30, 2005, and Gov. Mike Easley signed it the next day, Aug. 31, 2005, creating the N.C. State Lottery Commission and new Chapter 18C. The North Carolina Education Lottery sold its first instant (scratch-off) tickets Mar. 30, 2006, with the first online draw game (Powerball) following May 30, 2006 (NCEL joined Powerball May 28, 2006 per a secondary source; dates differ by two days). Net lottery revenues transfer at least quarterly to the Education Lottery Fund (G.S. § 18C-164); after funding a reserve and the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund, the General Assembly appropriates the remainder each year for education-related purposes. | |
| North Dakota | Live | Jan 1, 2004 | Monopoly State | North Dakota is unique in selling no in-state draw games: a 2002 constitutional amendment, approved by about 63% of voters, authorizes the state only to join a multi-state lottery "for the benefit of the State of North Dakota." Sales began in 2004. Powerball was the first game offered. | |
| Ohio | Live | Aug 1, 1974 | Monopoly State | Created by voter-approved constitutional amendment in May 1973; first ticket sales (Buckeye 300) began August 1974. Minimum purchase age 18 (ORC 3770.08(C)). | |
| Oklahoma | Live | Oct 12, 2005 | Monopoly State | Approved by voters in Nov. 2004 (SQ 705 created the Lottery Commission; SQ 706 created the Lottery Trust Fund for education); ticket sales began Oct. 12, 2005. | |
| Oregon | Live | Apr 25, 1985 | Monopoly State | Created by two measures voters approved at the Nov. 6, 1984 general election (a constitutional amendment and a companion statute), both passing with about 66% of the vote, dedicating proceeds to job creation and economic development; sources conflict on the exact ballot-measure numbers (Measure 4 vs. 5), so none is stated here. The Lottery sold its first ticket, a $1 "Pot of Gold" scratch-it, on April 25, 1985. | |
| Pennsylvania | Live | Mar 7, 1972 | Monopoly State | Dedicated to programs for older Pennsylvanians (property tax/rent rebates, transit, long-term care). Gov. Shapp signed Act 91 of 1971 creating the Lottery; tickets went on sale March 7, 1972, with the first drawing held March 15, 1972. | |
| Rhode Island | Live | 1974 | Monopoly State | The modern Rhode Island Lottery was inaugurated in 1974 following a 1973 constitutional amendment; colonial-era lotteries had run until an 1842 ban. RI was a charter (1987) member of the Multi-State Lottery Association; it joined Mega Millions Jan. 31, 2010, and offers Powerball and (since Feb. 22, 2026) Millionaire for Life, which replaced Lucky for Life (offered since Jan. 27, 2015) nationwide. Former multistate games included Lotto America, Daily Millions, Cashola, and MegaHits (a VLT progressive jackpot game that ran 2011 to July 31, 2018). | |
| South Carolina | Live | Jan 7, 2002 | Monopoly State | First draw January 7, 2002; joined Powerball October 9, 2002 and Mega Millions January 31, 2010. Net proceeds fund K-12 and higher-education programs, scholarships, and school buses via the Education Lottery Account. | |
| South Dakota | Live | Apr 2, 1987 | Monopoly State | Voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a lottery Nov. 4, 1986; enabling legislation signed April 2, 1987. Net proceeds from on-line draw-game ticket sales are split 70% General Fund / 30% Capital Construction Fund, a share reached in fiscal year 2023 after a multi-year phase-in; instant-ticket proceeds go entirely to the General Fund. | |
| Tennessee | Live | Jan 20, 2004 | Monopoly State | Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation operates the state lottery (draw games, scratch-offs). Voters approved a constitutional amendment (58%) at the Nov. 5, 2002 general election repealing the state's 1835 constitutional lottery ban; the General Assembly then enacted the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law, creating the TELC. The Lottery sold its first ticket Jan. 20, 2004.? | |
| Texas | Live | May 29, 1992 | Monopoly State | Authorized by the State Lottery Act (Government Code Ch. 466) following a 1991 constitutional amendment; lottery revenue initially went to the General Revenue Fund and was statutorily redirected to the Foundation School Fund by 1997 legislation. Administration transferred from the now-abolished Texas Lottery Commission to TDLR effective 2025-09-01 under SB 3070, which also requires a Sunset Advisory Commission review by the fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2029 (the lottery is automatically abolished on 2029-09-01 unless the Legislature continues it). Draw games include Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto Texas, Texas Two Step, Pick 3, Daily 4, Cash Five, All or Nothing, and Lone Star Lineup, plus scratch tickets. SB 3070 also set a 100-ticket-per-transaction purchase limit, enforceable as a Class B misdemeanor, amid the courier controversy. | |
| Vermont | Live | Feb 1978 | Monopoly State | A Nov. 2, 1976 statewide advisory referendum (authorized by 1976 Act No. 252) asked whether the General Assembly should consider enacting a lottery; voters said yes by a roughly 2.5-to-1 margin. The General Assembly then enacted the actual enabling law, 1977 Act No. 82, effective April 27, 1977, creating the lottery. It began fiscal/administrative operations as an enterprise fund in Oct. 1977; the first game actually sold, the Green Mountain Game, went on sale in Feb. 1978. "Pick 3," the Lottery's first daily "online" (terminal-based) game, launched Nov. 10, 1980. Lottery statute specifically bars any lottery game whose outcome depends on an athletic contest (31 V.S.A. §651(1)). | |
| Virginia | Live | Sep 20, 1988 | Monopoly State | Approved by a Nov. 3, 1987 voter referendum; the enabling legislation (1987 Va. Acts c. 531) took effect Dec. 1, 1987, and ticket sales began Sept. 20, 1988. The enabling law did not earmark profits for any specific purpose; since 1999, and under a 2000 constitutional amendment (Va. Const. art. X, § 7-A) that made the practice permanent, all net Lottery proceeds go to K-12 public education. | |
| Washington | Live | Nov 15, 1982 | Monopoly State | Washington's Lottery was created by the state legislature, not by a voter initiative: Gov. John Spellman signed House Bill 1251 on July 16, 1982. The first game, a $1 "Pot O'Gold Instant Lottery" scratch ticket, went on sale Nov. 15, 1982. Initiative 728 (2000) later redirected a share of lottery and other gambling-related revenue toward education.? | |
| West Virginia | Live | Jan 9, 1986 | Monopoly State | Voters approved a constitutional lottery amendment at the November 1984 general election; the first instant "scratch" tickets were sold January 9, 1986. Multistate games include Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America (formerly Hot Lotto, discontinued Oct. 28, 2017). | |
| Wisconsin | Live | Sep 14, 1988 | Monopoly State | Voters ratified a constitutional amendment to Wis. Const. art. IV, § 24 on April 7, 1987, letting the legislature authorize a state-run lottery whose net proceeds must fund property tax relief; the legislature then created the Lottery and the Lottery Board in 1987 Wisconsin Act 119. The first games -- the Match 3 instant game and the Wisconsin Red pull-tab -- went on sale September 14, 1988.? | |
| Wyoming | Live | Aug 24, 2014 | Monopoly State | Gov. Matt Mead signed HB0077 (2013 General Session) creating the Wyoming Lottery Corporation (WyoLotto); the enrolled act created Wyo. Stat. §§ 9-17-101 to 9-17-128 as the "Wyoming Lottery Act" with a statutory effective date of July 1, 2013. The Corporation is not a state agency -- it is governed by a 9-member board appointed by the Governor and was funded by a private startup loan (repaid early) rather than state money. First ticket sold in Sheridan on Aug. 24, 2014, offering Powerball and Mega Millions. Cowboy Draw (in-state, 2015), Lucky for Life (2016, retired Feb. 21, 2026 and replaced by Millionaire for Life), 2by2 (2021), and KENO (2022) followed. | |
| Nevada | Prohibited | Nevada's 1864 Constitution copied California's lottery ban; it is the only state whose constitution specifically bars a state lottery, and remains one of five states with no lottery. Current text (as amended 1990) says "no lottery may be authorized by this State, nor may lottery tickets be sold," with a carve-out letting the Legislature authorize charitable/nonprofit raffles or drawings only, proceeds restricted to charitable/nonprofit use. A repeal resolution (AJR5) passed the Legislature in 2023 and needed a second passage before going to voters, expected as a 2026 ballot question. | |||
| Utah | Prohibited | The constitutional ban on any "lottery" run or authorized by the state has never been repealed; a 2024 resolution to allow a state lottery (H.J.R. 24) died in the House. | |||
| Alabama | Not authorized | Alabama Constitution Art. IV, Section 65 bars the legislature from authorizing lotteries or gift enterprises; a constitutional amendment and statewide referendum are required. The 1999 lottery referendum failed. Alabama is the only state in the eastern U.S. without a lottery following Mississippi's adoption. Comprehensive packages pairing a lottery with casinos/sports betting have repeatedly passed the House but died in the Senate (2024 HB 151/152). Two first-read-stage 2026 bills (SB257, HB448) would authorize a lottery via constitutional amendment; see legislation.pending_summary. Status remains not_authorized because neither has been enacted or referred to voters. | |||
| Alaska | Not authorized | Unlike NV, UT, or AL, Alaska's constitution has no lottery-specific ban; a lottery is simply unauthorized legislation. AS 11.66.200 makes "unlawful gambling" a violation (fine up to $1,000 after a first offense), and AS 11.66.280(3) defines "gambling" broadly as staking something of value on a contest of chance, excluding only activities authorized by the Department of Revenue under AS 05.15 (the charitable-gaming permit statute covering bingo, pull-tabs, and raffles for municipalities and qualified organizations) and the Permanent Fund Dividend raffle; lottery tickets are referenced only as an exclusion from the "gambling device" definition, not as an authorized activity. No statute creates a state lottery, so one would require new enabling legislation. Gov. Dunleavy's Alaska Lottery Corporation Act (SB 188/HB 246, introduced Feb. 2020) would have created such a corporation but did not pass; no later lottery bill has been enacted as of 2026. | |||
| Hawaii | Not authorized | Hawaii has no constitutional lottery ban; instead HRS §712-1220's general "gambling" definition (staking something of value on a contest of chance or future contingent event) covers a lottery like any other wagering activity, and the Penal Code carves out no lottery-specific exception the way most other states do -- the only affirmative defense is "social gambling" under §712-1231 (equal-terms, non-commercial, private play), which a state-run lottery could not meet. No statute authorizes the state to operate or license a lottery. Hawaii is one of six U.S. states with no state-run lottery, and legislative proposals to create one have been repeatedly introduced and rejected. |