Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 896
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-00927-25                                            2025896__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to state lotteries; amending s.
    3         20.317, F.S.; deleting a provision requiring the
    4         compensation of the Secretary of the Department of the
    5         Lottery to be set annually by the Governor; amending
    6         s. 24.103, F.S.; defining terms; revising the
    7         definition of the term “major procurement”; amending
    8         s. 24.105, F.S.; revising and providing rules that the
    9         department must adopt governing the establishment and
   10         operation of the state lottery; deleting obsolete
   11         provisions; amending s. 24.108, F.S.; revising
   12         requirements for studies and evaluations of security
   13         in the operation of the department; amending s.
   14         24.111, F.S.; making technical changes; amending s.
   15         24.112, F.S.; increasing the amount of a lottery
   16         retailer bond; authorizing a lottery retailer to remit
   17         funds to the department for deposit in a specified
   18         bank account in lieu of such bond; authorizing the use
   19         of a debit card in a vending machine to purchase a
   20         lottery ticket; authorizing the department to act as a
   21         courier service and contract with a third party to
   22         provide such service; requiring all courier services
   23         to have a written agreement with retailers which
   24         conforms to certain requirements and rules;
   25         authorizing courier services to store lottery tickets
   26         for customers in lieu of delivery if certain
   27         requirements are met; requiring such courier services
   28         to maintain a secure database of all stored lottery
   29         tickets and provide specified notice of a winning
   30         ticket within a certain timeframe; authorizing such
   31         courier services to redeem winning tickets valued at
   32         less than a certain amount; prohibiting a portion or
   33         percentage of such winning tickets from being charged,
   34         accepted, given, or paid to such courier services;
   35         providing construction; repealing s. 24.113, F.S.,
   36         relating to minority participation; amending s.
   37         24.116, F.S.; providing an exception to the
   38         prohibition on officers or employees of the department
   39         purchasing a lottery ticket; creating s. 24.1173,
   40         F.S.; prohibiting a courier service from operating
   41         without a written agreement with a retailer which
   42         conforms to certain requirements and rules; providing
   43         a criminal penalty; amending s. 24.118, F.S.; revising
   44         provisions relating to other prohibited acts;
   45         prohibiting certain false claims and theft of lottery
   46         tickets by lottery retailers, courier services, or
   47         employees; providing criminal penalties; amending ss.
   48         24.119, 24.120, 24.1215, and 24.124, F.S.; making
   49         technical changes; providing an effective date.
   50          
   51  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   52  
   53         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
   54  20.317, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   55         20.317 Department of the Lottery.—There is created a
   56  Department of the Lottery.
   57         (1)(a) The head of the Department of the Lottery is the
   58  Secretary of the Department of the Lottery. The secretary shall
   59  be appointed by the Governor, subject to the confirmation of the
   60  Senate, and. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the
   61  Governor. The compensation of the secretary shall be set
   62  annually by executive order of the Governor.
   63         Section 2. Present subsections (1) through (6) of section
   64  24.103, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4)
   65  through (9), respectively, new subsections (1), (2), and (3) are
   66  added to that section, and present subsection (2) of that
   67  section is amended, to read:
   68         24.103 Definitions.—As used in this act:
   69         (1)“Ball machine” means a device that mechanically mixes a
   70  set of numbered balls and randomly draws balls from that mixed
   71  set to determine the winning numbers for a specific game.
   72         (2)“Courier service” means a person or an entity that
   73  purchases a lottery ticket on behalf of another person located
   74  in this state and delivers the ticket to the person in this
   75  state as a for-profit service.
   76         (3)“Debit card” means a card issued by a financial
   77  institution to a consumer for use in initiating an electronic
   78  funds transfer from a demand deposit, savings deposit, or other
   79  asset account of the consumer at the financial institution.
   80         (5)(2) “Major procurement” means a procurement for a
   81  contract for the printing of tickets for use in a any lottery
   82  game, consultation services for the startup of the lottery, any
   83  goods or services involving the official recording for lottery
   84  game play purposes of a player’s selections in any lottery game
   85  involving player selections, any goods or services involving the
   86  receiving of a player’s selection directly from a player in any
   87  lottery game involving player selections, any goods or services
   88  involving the drawing, determination, or generation of winners
   89  in a any lottery game, the security report services provided for
   90  in this act, or any goods and services relating to marketing and
   91  promotion which exceed a value of $25,000.
   92         Section 3. Paragraph (d) of subsection (9), subsection
   93  (17), and paragraph (d) of subsection (18) of section 24.105,
   94  Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraphs (k) and (l) are
   95  added to subsection (9) of that section, to read:
   96         24.105 Powers and duties of department.—The department
   97  shall:
   98         (9) Adopt rules governing the establishment and operation
   99  of the state lottery, including:
  100         (d) The method of selecting winning tickets. However, if a
  101  lottery game involves the use of a ball machine to conduct a
  102  drawing, the drawing must shall be public and witnessed by an
  103  accountant employed by an independent certified public
  104  accounting firm. The equipment used in the drawing must shall be
  105  inspected before and after the drawing.
  106         (k)The method of payment for the purchase of a lottery
  107  ticket.
  108         (l)The operation of a courier service, including minimum
  109  contract requirements between the courier service and the person
  110  using such service.
  111         (17) Have the authority to enter into agreements with other
  112  states for the operation and promotion of a multistate lottery
  113  if such agreements are in the best interest of the state
  114  lottery. The authority conferred by this subsection is not
  115  effective until 1 year after the first day of lottery ticket
  116  sales.
  117         (18) Employ division directors and other staff as may be
  118  necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; however:
  119         (d) The department shall establish and maintain a personnel
  120  program for its employees, including a personnel classification
  121  and pay plan which may provide any or all of the benefits
  122  provided in the Senior Management Service or Selected Exempt
  123  Service. Each officer or employee of the department shall be a
  124  member of the Florida Retirement System. The retirement class of
  125  each officer or employee is shall be the same as other persons
  126  performing comparable functions for other agencies. Employees of
  127  the department shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary and
  128  are shall be subject to suspension, dismissal, reduction in pay,
  129  demotion, transfer, or other personnel action at the discretion
  130  of the secretary. Such personnel actions are exempt from the
  131  provisions of chapter 120. All employees of the department are
  132  exempt from the Career Service System provided in chapter 110
  133  and, notwithstanding the provisions of s. 110.205(5), are not
  134  included in either the Senior Management Service or the Selected
  135  Exempt Service. However, all employees of the department are
  136  subject to all standards of conduct adopted by rule for career
  137  service and senior management employees pursuant to chapter 110.
  138  In the event of a conflict between standards of conduct
  139  applicable to employees of the department, of the Lottery the
  140  more restrictive standard applies shall apply. Interpretations
  141  as to the more restrictive standard may be provided by the
  142  Commission on Ethics upon request of an advisory opinion
  143  pursuant to s. 112.322(3)(a)., For purposes of this subsection,
  144  the opinion constitutes shall be considered final action.
  145         Section 4. Subsections (2) through (7) of section 24.108,
  146  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  147         24.108 Division of Security; duties; security report.—
  148         (2)(a) The director and all investigators employed by the
  149  division shall meet the requirements for employment and
  150  appointment provided by s. 943.13 and shall satisfy the
  151  requirements for certification established by the Criminal
  152  Justice Standards and Training Commission pursuant to chapter
  153  943.
  154         (b) The director and all such investigators employed by the
  155  division shall be designated law enforcement officers and shall
  156  have the power to investigate and arrest for any alleged
  157  violation of this act or any rule adopted pursuant to this act
  158  thereto, or any law of this state. The Such law enforcement
  159  officers may enter upon any premises in which lottery tickets
  160  are sold, manufactured, printed, or stored within this the state
  161  for the performance of their lawful duties and may take with
  162  them any necessary equipment, and such entry does shall not
  163  constitute a trespass.
  164         (c)If In any instance in which there is reason to believe
  165  that a violation has occurred, law enforcement such officers
  166  have the authority, without warrant, to search and inspect any
  167  premises where the violation is alleged to have occurred or is
  168  occurring. Any such officer may, consistent with the United
  169  States and Florida Constitutions, seize or take possession of
  170  any papers, records, tickets, currency, or other items related
  171  to any alleged violation.
  172         (3) The Department of Law Enforcement shall, at the request
  173  of the Division of Security, perform full criminal background
  174  investigations on all employees of the department of the Lottery
  175  at the level of secretary, division director, or bureau chief
  176  and at any level within the Division of Security, including
  177  applicants for employment. The department of the Lottery shall
  178  reimburse the Department of Law Enforcement for the actual costs
  179  of such investigations.
  180         (4)(a) The division shall conduct such investigations of
  181  vendors, retailers, and employees of the department, including
  182  applicants for contract or employment, as are necessary to
  183  ensure the security and integrity of the operation of the state
  184  lottery.
  185         (b) The department may require persons subject to such
  186  investigations to provide such information, including
  187  fingerprints, as is needed by the Department of Law Enforcement
  188  for processing or as is otherwise necessary to facilitate access
  189  to state and federal criminal history information.
  190         (5)(a) The Department of Law Enforcement shall provide
  191  assistance in obtaining criminal history information relevant to
  192  investigations required for honest, secure, and exemplary
  193  lottery operations, and such other assistance as may be
  194  requested by the secretary and agreed to by the executive
  195  director of the Department of Law Enforcement.
  196         (b) Any other state agency or commission, including the
  197  Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the
  198  Department of Revenue, shall, upon request, provide the
  199  department of the Lottery with any information relevant to any
  200  investigation conducted pursuant to this act. The department of
  201  the Lottery shall maintain the confidentiality of any
  202  confidential information it receives from any other state agency
  203  or commission.
  204         (c) The department of the Lottery shall reimburse a any
  205  state agency or commission for the actual cost of providing any
  206  assistance pursuant to this subsection.
  207         (6) The division shall monitor ticket validation and
  208  lottery drawings when ball machines are used.
  209         (7)(a) Every 2 years After the first full year of sales of
  210  tickets to the public, or sooner if the secretary deems
  211  necessary, the department shall engage an independent firm
  212  experienced in security procedures, including, but not limited
  213  to, computer security and systems security, to conduct a
  214  comprehensive study and evaluation of all aspects of security in
  215  the operation of the department.
  216         (b) The portion of the security report containing the
  217  overall evaluation of the department in terms of each aspect of
  218  security must shall be presented to the Governor, the President
  219  of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  220  The portion of the security report containing specific
  221  recommendations is shall be confidential and may shall be
  222  presented only to the secretary, the Governor, and the Auditor
  223  General; however, upon certification that such information is
  224  necessary for the purpose of effecting legislative changes, such
  225  information must shall be disclosed to the President of the
  226  Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who may
  227  disclose such information to members of the Legislature and
  228  legislative staff as necessary to effect such purpose. However,
  229  any person who receives a copy of such information or other
  230  information which is confidential pursuant to this act or rule
  231  of the department must shall maintain its confidentiality. The
  232  confidential portion of the report is exempt from the provisions
  233  of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
  234         (c)Thereafter, similar studies of security shall be
  235  conducted as the department deems appropriate but at least once
  236  every 2 years.
  237         Section 5. Present subsections (3) through (7) of section
  238  24.111, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
  239  through (9), respectively, new subsections (3) and (4) are added
  240  to that section, and subsection (2) of that section is amended,
  241  to read:
  242         24.111 Vendors; disclosure and contract requirements.—
  243         (2) The department shall investigate the financial
  244  responsibility, security, and integrity of each vendor with
  245  which it intends to negotiate a contract for major procurement.
  246  Such investigation may include an investigation of the financial
  247  responsibility, security, and integrity of any of the or all
  248  persons whose names and addresses are required to be disclosed
  249  pursuant to paragraph (a). A Any person who submits a bid,
  250  proposal, or offer as part of a major procurement must, at the
  251  time of submitting such bid, proposal, or offer, provide the
  252  following:
  253         (a) A disclosure of the vendor’s name and address and, as
  254  applicable, the name and address and any additional disclosures
  255  necessary for an investigation of the financial responsibility,
  256  security, and integrity of the following:
  257         1. If the vendor is a corporation, the officers, directors,
  258  and each stockholder in such corporation; except that, in the
  259  case of owners of equity securities of a publicly traded
  260  corporation, only the names and addresses of those known to the
  261  corporation to own beneficially 5 percent or more of such
  262  securities need be disclosed.
  263         2. If the vendor is a trust, the trustee and all persons
  264  entitled to receive income or benefit from the trust.
  265         3. If the vendor is an association, the members, officers,
  266  and directors.
  267         4. If the vendor is a partnership or joint venture, all of
  268  the general partners, limited partners, or joint venturers.
  269  If the vendor subcontracts any substantial portion of the work
  270  to be performed to a subcontractor, the vendor must shall
  271  disclose all of the information required by this paragraph for
  272  the subcontractor as if the subcontractor were itself a vendor.
  273         (b) A disclosure of all the states and jurisdictions in
  274  which the vendor does business and of the nature of that
  275  business for each such state or jurisdiction.
  276         (c) A disclosure of all the states and jurisdictions in
  277  which the vendor has contracts to supply gaming goods or
  278  services, including, but not limited to, lottery goods and
  279  services, and of the nature of the goods or services involved
  280  for each such state or jurisdiction.
  281         (d) A disclosure of all the states and jurisdictions in
  282  which the vendor has applied for, has sought renewal of, has
  283  received, has been denied, has pending, or has had revoked a
  284  gaming license or contract of any kind and of the disposition of
  285  such in each such state or jurisdiction. If any gaming license
  286  or contract has been revoked or has not been renewed or any
  287  gaming license or contract application has been either denied or
  288  is pending and has remained pending for more than 6 months, all
  289  of the facts and circumstances underlying this failure to
  290  receive such a license must be disclosed.
  291         (e) A disclosure of the details of any conviction or
  292  judgment of a state or federal court of the vendor of any felony
  293  or any other criminal offense other than a traffic violation.
  294         (f) A disclosure of the details of any bankruptcy,
  295  insolvency, reorganization, or any pending litigation of the
  296  vendor.
  297         (g) Such additional disclosures and information as the
  298  department may determine to be appropriate for the procurement
  299  involved.
  300         (h)The department shall lease all vending machines that
  301  dispense online lottery tickets, instant lottery tickets, or
  302  both online and instant lottery tickets.
  303         (i)The department will require a performance bond for the
  304  duration of the contract.
  305  
  306  The department may shall not contract with any vendor that who
  307  fails to make the disclosures required by this subsection, and
  308  any contract with a vendor that who has failed to make the
  309  required disclosures is shall be unenforceable. Any contract
  310  with any vendor that who does not comply with such requirements
  311  for periodically updating such disclosures during the tenure of
  312  such contract as may be specified in such contract may be
  313  terminated by the department. This subsection must shall be
  314  construed broadly and liberally to achieve the ends of full
  315  disclosure of all information necessary to allow for a full and
  316  complete evaluation by the department of the competence,
  317  integrity, background, and character of vendors for major
  318  procurements.
  319         (3)The department shall lease all vending machines that
  320  dispense online and instant lottery tickets.
  321         (4)The department shall require a performance bond for the
  322  duration of the contract.
  323         Section 6. Subsections (9) and (13) and paragraph (a) of
  324  subsection (15) of section 24.112, Florida Statutes, are
  325  amended, and subsection (16) is added to that section, to read:
  326         24.112 Retailers of lottery tickets; authorization of
  327  vending machines to dispense lottery tickets; authorization of
  328  courier services.—
  329         (9)(a) The department may require every retailer to post an
  330  appropriate bond as determined by the department, using an
  331  insurance company acceptable to the department, in an amount not
  332  to exceed three times twice the average lottery ticket sales of
  333  the retailer for the period within which the retailer is
  334  required to remit lottery funds to the department. For the first
  335  90 days of sales of a new retailer, the amount of the bond may
  336  not exceed twice the average estimated lottery ticket sales for
  337  the period within which the retailer is required to remit
  338  lottery funds to the department. This paragraph does shall not
  339  apply to lottery tickets that which are prepaid by the retailer.
  340         (b) In lieu of such bond, the department may:
  341         1. Purchase blanket bonds covering all or selected
  342  retailers. or may
  343         2. Allow a retailer to deposit and maintain with the Chief
  344  Financial Officer securities that are interest bearing or
  345  accruing and that, with the exception of those specified in sub
  346  subparagraphs a. and b. subparagraphs 1. and 2., are rated in
  347  one of the four highest classifications by an established
  348  nationally recognized investment rating service. Securities
  349  eligible under this subparagraph are paragraph shall be limited
  350  to:
  351         a.1. Certificates of deposit issued by solvent banks or
  352  savings associations organized and existing under the laws of
  353  this state or under the laws of the United States and having
  354  their principal place of business in this state.
  355         b.2. United States bonds, notes, and bills for which the
  356  full faith and credit of the government of the United States is
  357  pledged for the payment of principal and interest.
  358         c.3. General obligation bonds and notes of any political
  359  subdivision of the state.
  360         d.4. Corporate bonds of any corporation that is not an
  361  affiliate or subsidiary of the depositor.
  362         3.Allow a retailer to remit funds to the department for
  363  deposit in a department-held interest-bearing bank account.
  364  
  365  Such securities must shall be held in trust and must shall have
  366  at all times a market value at least equal to an amount required
  367  by the department.
  368         (13) Each retailer shall provide accessibility for disabled
  369  persons on habitable grade levels. This subsection does not
  370  apply to a retail location which has an entrance door threshold
  371  more than 12 inches above ground level. As used in this
  372  subsection herein and for purposes of this subsection only, the
  373  term “accessibility for disabled persons on habitable grade
  374  levels” means that retailers shall provide ramps, platforms,
  375  aisles and pathway widths, turnaround areas, and parking spaces
  376  to the extent these are required for the retailer’s premises by
  377  the particular jurisdiction where the retailer is located.
  378  Accessibility is shall be required to only one point of sale of
  379  lottery tickets for each lottery retailer location. The
  380  requirements of this subsection are shall be deemed to have been
  381  met if, in lieu of the foregoing, disabled persons can purchase
  382  tickets from the retail location by means of a drive-up window,
  383  provided the hours of access at the drive-up window are not less
  384  than those provided at any other entrance at that lottery
  385  retailer location. Inspections for compliance with this
  386  subsection must shall be performed by those enforcement
  387  authorities responsible for enforcement pursuant to s. 553.80 in
  388  accordance with procedures established by those authorities.
  389  Those enforcement authorities shall provide to the department of
  390  the Lottery a certification of noncompliance for any lottery
  391  retailer not meeting such requirements.
  392         (15) A vending machine may be used to dispense online
  393  lottery tickets, instant lottery tickets, or both online and
  394  instant lottery tickets.
  395         (a) The vending machine must:
  396         1. Dispense a lottery ticket after a purchaser inserts a
  397  coin, or currency, or debit card in the machine.
  398         2. Be capable of being electronically deactivated for a
  399  period of 5 minutes or more.
  400         3. Be designed to prevent its use for any purpose other
  401  than dispensing a lottery ticket.
  402         (16)(a)The department may act as a courier service. The
  403  department may also contract with a third party to provide
  404  courier services in this state.
  405         (b)All courier services must have a written agreement with
  406  one or more retailers which conforms to the requirements of this
  407  section and any rule adopted by the department.
  408         (c)In lieu of delivery of a purchased lottery ticket to a
  409  customer using a courier service, a courier service may store a
  410  ticket for a customer, with the customer’s consent, if the
  411  courier service provides an electronic receipt of the ticket
  412  purchased with the numbers of the ticket shown on the receipt. A
  413  customer using a courier service must have the option at all
  414  times to obtain the ticket for the purpose of redemption. A
  415  courier service storing a ticket for a customer shall maintain a
  416  secure database of all stored lottery tickets, linked to the
  417  respective customers. The courier service shall notify the
  418  customer of a winning ticket value and maximum prize within 24
  419  hours after a drawing.
  420         (d)A courier service may redeem a winning ticket valued at
  421  less than $600 on behalf of its customers in a manner that is
  422  secure for the customer and transparent to the public.
  423         (e)Any portion or percentage of lottery winnings may not
  424  be charged, accepted, given, or made payable to a courier
  425  service as a fee for the purchase, delivery, or redemption of a
  426  ticket.
  427         (f)The operation of a courier service under this
  428  subsection does not constitute a violation of s. 24.105, s.
  429  24.117, or s. 24.118.
  430         Section 7. Section 24.113, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
  431         Section 8. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section 24.116,
  432  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  433         24.116 Unlawful purchase of lottery tickets; penalty.—
  434         (1) A No person who is less than 18 years of age may not
  435  purchase a lottery ticket; however, this does shall not prohibit
  436  the purchase of a lottery ticket for the purpose of making a
  437  gift to a minor.
  438         (2) An No officer or employee of the department, or any
  439  relative living in the same household with such officer or
  440  employee, may not purchase a lottery ticket. However, an officer
  441  or employee of the department who is a sworn law enforcement
  442  officer within the Division of Security may purchase a lottery
  443  ticket when such purchase is necessary for the performance of
  444  his or her official duties as part of an investigation.
  445         (3) An No officer or employee of any vendor under contract
  446  with the department for a major procurement, relative living in
  447  the same household with such officer or employee, or immediate
  448  supervisor of such officer or employee may not purchase a
  449  lottery ticket if the officer or employee is involved in the
  450  direct provision of goods or services to the department or has
  451  access to information made confidential by the department.
  452         Section 9. Section 24.1173, Florida Statutes, is created to
  453  read:
  454         24.1173Unlawful operation of courier services; penalty.
  455  Any courier service that operates without a written agreement
  456  with a retailer, which agreement conforms to the requirements of
  457  s. 24.112(16) and any rule adopted by the department, commits a
  458  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
  459  775.082 or s. 775.083.
  460         Section 10. Present subsection (4) of section 24.118,
  461  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (6), a new
  462  subsection (4) and subsection (5) are added to that section, and
  463  subsection (3) of that section is amended, to read:
  464         24.118 Other prohibited acts; penalties.—
  465         (3) COUNTERFEIT OR ALTERED TICKETS.—Any person who:
  466         (a) Knowingly presents a counterfeit or altered state
  467  lottery ticket;
  468         (b) Knowingly transfers a counterfeit or altered state
  469  lottery ticket to another to present for payment; or
  470         (c) With intent to defraud, falsely makes, alters, forges,
  471  passes, or counterfeits a state lottery ticket; or
  472         (d)Files with the department a claim for payment based
  473  upon facts alleged by the claimant which facts are untrue and
  474  known by the claimant to be untrue when the claim is made;
  475  
  476  commits is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as
  477  provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  478         (4)FALSE CLAIM.—A person may not, when presenting or
  479  causing to be presented any claim for payment or approval to an
  480  officer or employee of the department or to a lottery retailer,
  481  knowingly and willfully:
  482         (a)Falsify or conceal a material fact;
  483         (b)Make any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or
  484  representation relating to a material fact; or
  485         (c)Make or use any false document, knowing the same to
  486  contain any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry
  487  relating to a material fact.
  488  
  489  A person who violates this subsection commits a felony of the
  490  third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
  491  or s. 775.084.
  492         (5)THEFT OF LOTTERY TICKET BY LOTTERY RETAILER, COURIER
  493  SERVICE, OR EMPLOYEE.—A lottery retailer, a courier service, or
  494  an employee who knowingly and willfully uses his or her position
  495  to facilitate, participate in, or otherwise assist in the theft
  496  of a lottery ticket from a retail establishment, courier
  497  service, or patron or customer of the retail establishment or
  498  courier service commits a felony of the third degree, punishable
  499  as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  500         Section 11. Section 24.119, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  501  read:
  502         24.119 Use of word “lottery” in corporate name.—The
  503  corporate name of a corporation may shall not contain the word
  504  “lottery” unless the department of the Lottery approves such
  505  name in writing.
  506         Section 12. Subsection (6) of section 24.120, Florida
  507  Statutes, is amended to read:
  508         24.120 Financial matters; Operating Trust Fund; interagency
  509  cooperation.—
  510         (6) The department of Management Services may authorize a
  511  sales incentive program for employees of the department for the
  512  purpose of increasing the sales volume and distribution of
  513  lottery tickets. Payments pursuant to the program may shall not
  514  be construed to be lump-sum salary bonuses.
  515         Section 13. Section 24.1215, Florida Statutes, is amended
  516  to read:
  517         24.1215 Duty to inform public of lottery’s significance to
  518  education.—The department of the Lottery shall inform the public
  519  about the significance of lottery funding to the state’s overall
  520  system of public education.
  521         Section 14. Section 24.124, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  522  read:
  523         24.124 Responsibility for ticket accuracy; department,
  524  retailer, and vendor liability.—
  525         (1) Purchasers of online games tickets are shall be
  526  responsible for verifying the accuracy of their tickets,
  527  including the number or numbers printed on the tickets. In the
  528  event of an error, the ticket may be canceled and a replacement
  529  ticket issued pursuant to rules adopted promulgated by the
  530  department of the Lottery.
  531         (2) Other than the issuance of a replacement ticket, there
  532  is shall be no right or cause of action and no liability on the
  533  part of the department, retailer, vendor, or any other person
  534  associated with selling an online games ticket, with respect to
  535  errors or inaccuracies contained in the ticket, including errors
  536  in the number or numbers printed on the ticket.
  537         Section 15. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.