SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6615

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background: The Washington Lottery (Lottery) was established in 1982. Lottery revenues, after payment of prizes and administrative expenses, are used for education construction, paying off stadium bonds, problem gambling services, economic development, and the General Fund.

Games offered by the Lottery include: Mega Millions, Lotto, Scratch Games, Hit 5, Match 4, the Daily Game, and Daily Keno. The Lottery may adopt rules regarding the frequency of the drawings or selections of winning tickets or shares. However, approval of the Legislature is required before conducting any online game in which the drawing or selection of winning tickets occurs more than once every 24 hours.

The Recreation and Conservation Funding Board administers the Outdoor Recreation Account which, in general, is used to fund outdoor recreation, including state parks, local parks, trails, water access sites, and state recreation lands.

Summary of Bill: A club keno monitor game is defined as any lottery game in which results are presented to a player on a television or a similar visual display. The Lottery must conduct a club keno monitor game in which the drawing or selection of winning tickets occurs more frequently than 24 hours, but not less than every four minutes. The monitor game may not allow for individual play against the device or terminal. The club keno monitor game may be provided without a monitor terminal to lottery sales agents and winning numbers must be displayed in establishments licensed by the Liquor Control Board.

Revenue received from the sale of club keno monitor game tickets will be deposited into the General Fund and distributed to the Outdoor Recreation Account after payments have been made for prizes to the holders of winning tickets. Money deposited in the Outdoor Recreation Account from the club keno monitor game must be distributed to the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Natural Resources, the State Parks and Recreation Commission, and to local governments to be used for parks, trails, and water access.

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2011, the percentage of money transferred to the Problem Gambling Account from revenue derived from the shared game lottery is increased from 0.13 of 1 percent to 0.21 of 1 percent.