Unclaimed prizes shall be retained in the state lottery account for the person entitled thereto for one hundred eighty days after the drawing in which the prize is won, or after the official end of the game for instant prizes. If no claim is made for the prize within this time, all rights to the prize shall be extinguished, and the prize shall be retained in the state lottery fund for further use as prizes, except that one-third of all unclaimed prize money shall be deposited in the economic development strategic reserve account created in RCW 43.330.250. On June 30th of each fiscal year, any balance of unclaimed prizes in excess of ten million dollars must be transferred to the Washington opportunity pathways account created in RCW 28B.76.526.

During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the legislature may transfer to the education legacy trust account such amounts as reflect the excess fund balance in the state lottery account from unclaimed prizes.

[2015 3rd sp.s. c 31 § 1; 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4 § 987; 2009 c 564 § 949; 2005 c 427 § 2; 1994 c 218 § 5; 1988 c 289 § 802; 1987 c 511 § 8; 1982 2nd ex.s. c 7 § 19.]

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