Pennsylvania Lottery players could choose to remain anonymous after cashing in a winning ticket that carries a prize of at least $100,000 under legislation that passed the state Senate on Monday.
The chamber voted 45-0 to send a bill to the House of Representatives that would limit the required information to be disclosed about these winners to their municipality and county of residence and prize amount. It gives the player the option of deciding whether their name is disclosed.
Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lackawanna County, said she re-introduced this bill that she supported in the last legislative session when it was sponsored by former Sen. John Yudichak of Luzerne County. Baker said she developed an interest in providing some anonymity based on a personal friend’s experience upon winning a $100,000 prize from a lottery scratch-off game.
“She was harassed and stalked by people coming after her even to the point where her parents and grandparents were contacted trying to scam her out of money,” Baker said. “If we can help protect someone’s privacy without impacting transparency, I think this is the way to go.”
Pennsylvania Lottery currently releases the first name and first initial of its winning ticket holders along with winner’s municipality and county of residence. However, the law also allows individuals who create a trust to remain anonymous.
According to a recent report in USA Today, at least 18 states allow lottery winners to collect prizes anonymously although in some places the prize amount has to cross a certain dollar amount threshold before anonymity is permitted.
What others say about it: An attempt to obtain a comment from the Pennsylvania Lottery was not immediately successful on Monday afternoon.
