# COMAR Title 36 — Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency

## Subtitle 02 — Lottery Provisions

### Chapter 01 — General

**Authority:** State Government Article, §§9-103, 9-104, 9-109—9-111, and 9-122, Annotated Code of Maryland

**Administrative History:** Effective date: May 13, 2013 (40:9 Md. R. 790)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .01 amended effective December 2, 2019 (46:24 Md. R. 1104); May 26, 2025 (52:10 Md. R. 439)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .01B amended effective January 7, 2016 (42:26 Md. R. 1597); January 14, 2019 (46:1 Md. R. 13); September 21, 2020 (47:19 Md. R. 850)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .02 adopted effective May 26, 2025 (52:10 Md. R. 439)

#### Regulation .01 Definitions.

*COMAR 36.02.01.01*

A. In addition to the terms defined in State Government Article, §9-101, Annotated Code of Maryland, and in COMAR 36.01.01.01, which have the same meanings in this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

B. Terms Defined.

  (1) “Activate” means:

    (a) To make a book of instant tickets ready for sale in the Lottery Central System; or

    (b) To make a ticket ready for sale.

  (2) “Announced end of game” means the date set by the Agency after which retailers may not activate instant tickets for that game.

  (3) Bonus Drawing.

    (a) “Bonus drawing” means a game the Agency designates as a bonus drawing that may have a claiming period other than 182 days after the drawing in which the prize is won.

    (b) “Bonus drawing” does not include a daily or weekly lottery drawing.

  (4) Bonus Game.

    (a) “Bonus game” means a game the Agency designates as a bonus game that may have a claiming period other than 182 days after the drawing in which the prize is won.

    (b) “Bonus game” does not include a:

      (i) Daily or weekly lottery game; or

      (ii) Specific play features on a ticket.

  (5) “Claim form” means a paper or computer-generated document that identifies a prize claimant, prize amount, game and ticket characteristics.

  (6) “Coupon” means a paper or computer-generated code that a player may apply to purchase a ticket.

  (7) “Daily game” means a draw game for which the Agency offers a drawing at least once every day.

  (8) “Designated cutoff time” means the time after which a ticket may no longer be purchased for the next drawing of a specified lottery game.

  (9) Draw Game.

    (a) “Draw game” means a lottery game for which a winning result is determined by a drawing for which a ticket:

      (i) Is sold and redeemed through a subscription or through a terminal at retailer locations; and

      (ii) May be generated by a terminal and is a record of a transaction for a draw game.

    (b) “Draw game” includes:

      (i) A jackpot game including a multi-jurisdictional jackpot game;

      (ii) A nonjackpot game including a multi-jurisdictional jackpot game;

      (iii) A monitor game; and

      (iv) Any other Agency-authorized lottery game designated as a draw game.

  (10) “Draw ticket” means a ticket purchased from a terminal or through a subscription for a draw game.

  (11) “Drawing” means a random selection event used for determining winning numbers game data of certain lottery games.

  (12) “Drawing date” means the day, days of the week, or times of day on which the winning game data a lottery game are selected.

  (13) “Entry” means a qualifying purchase or action by which a player may participate in a promotion or special activity.

  (14) “ePlayslip” means an on-screen display or two-dimensional code, that:

    (a) Contains player-selected or randomly generated game data; and

    (b) Is electronically generated by a website or mobile application authorized by the Agency.

  (15) Fast Play Game.

    (a) “Fast Play game” means a game issued by the Lottery Central System where predetermined game results are obtained from a finite pool of randomly generated results for that game and are available through the terminal.

    (b) “Fast Play game” does not include a draw game.

  (16) “Game data” means any item or symbol used to identify:

    (a) A winner of a lottery game, including:

      (i) Numerals;

      (ii) Letters;

      (iii) Symbols, and

      (iv) Icons including branded logos;

    (b) The cost of a ticket; and

    (c) Number of draws and which draws on a ticket.

  (17) “In-lane ticket” means a ticket that:

    (a) Is purchased by a player;

    (b) May only be purchased at a retailer that is a commercial establishment; and

    (c) Is activated for play or produced when it is processed through a third-party point of sale terminal or cash register.

  (18) Instant Game.

    (a) “Instant game” means a lottery game for which a ticket has a covered area that the player exposes in accordance with the game instructions, and includes:

      (i) Scratch-off tickets; and

      (ii) Tickets using other methods of revealing a hidden area with pre-determined results.

    (b) “Instant game” does not include an in-lane ticket for a draw game.

  (19) “Instant ticket” means a ticket issued in an instant game.

  (20) “Instant ticket pack” or “instant ticket book” means group of tickets in sequential order bundled together.

  (21) “Jackpot game” means a lottery game for which the top prize amount varies:

    (a) Based on sales; and

    (b) If the top prize was won in the preceding drawing.

  (22) “Lottery Central System” means an integrated computer service and equipment that the Agency authorizes and procures for the purposes of:

    (a) Producing lottery tickets at retailer locations;

    (b) Facilitating lottery ticket transactions;

    (c) Providing tools and the means by which retailers:

      (i) Determine sales;

      (ii) Cash tickets;

      (iii) Confirm receipt and activate an instant ticket book;

      (iv) Display of animations of winning numbers;

      (v) Process a ticket, ePlayslip, or playslip;

      (vi) Print special reports and tickets;

      (vii) Order instant tickets;

      (viii) Order supplies; and

      (ix) Coordinate the distribution of tickets;

    (d) Providing random number generating equipment to conduct and offer monitor games, Cash Pop and Fast Play games;

    (e) Communicating with lottery retailers; and

    (f) Performing any other function, the Agency identifies as necessary to the operation of the State lottery and accounting for its proceeds.

  (23) “Lottery Central System contractor” means the person under contract with the Agency to provide all the goods and services required under the contract for the Lottery Central System.

  (24) “Monitor” means a television screen or similar type of screen used to display monitor game results and other Agency communications.

  (25) “Monitor game” means a draw game for which:

    (a) Tickets are generated by a terminal;

    (b) The Lottery Central System generates the winning result; and

    (c) Drawing results may be graphically displayed on a monitor.

  (26) “Multi-jurisdictional game” means a lottery game offered by the Agency and:

    (a) Any other political entity outside Maryland or outside the United States;

    (b) Any private licensee of a state or a foreign nation; or

    (c) Both §B26(a) and (b) of this regulation.

  (27) “Nonjackpot game” means a lottery game where the top prize remains static.

  (28) “Odds” means the likelihood of an outcome to occur or not occur.

  (29) “Pari-mutuel” means dividing the prize money available for winners of a certain prize level in a lottery game equally among all plays winning the prize in a particular drawing.

  (30) Player-Activated Terminal or PAT.

    (a) “Player-activated terminal” or “PAT” means a machine through which a player may purchase a ticket or claim a prize under an applicable tax reporting or taxable prize threshold without intervention by a retailer.

    (b) Player-activated terminal or PAT does not mean a machine that dispenses cash.

  (31) “Playslip” means a document issued by the Agency and used by a player to select the player’s game data.

  (32) “Probability” means the long-run ratio of the number of winning outcomes to the number of all outcomes.

  (33) “Progressive jackpot” means a jackpot offered in a lottery game that may increase in value based on sales of that game.

  (34) Promotion.

    (a) “Promotion” means:

      (i) An activity or game offered by the Agency to increase awareness of the Agency and its products and services;

      (ii) A contest that uses a second-chance drawing to determine a winner; or

      (iii) A cooperative marketing project under State Finance and Procurement Article, §11-203, Annotated Code of Maryland.

    (b) “Promotion” may include a lottery game if additional consideration is required for a player to participate.

  (35) “Retailer” means a person licensed by the Agency to sell lottery tickets.

  (36) Special Bonus.

    (a) “Special bonus” means an extra payment to a retailer or its employees that the Agency authorizes;

    (b) “Special bonus” may not exceed one-half of 1% of the gross receipts from ticket sales for the year for which the bonuses are awarded;

    (c) “Special bonus” does not include:

      (i) A bonus drawing; or

      (ii) Game play features on a ticket.

  (37) “Special license” means a retailer license issued by the Director for a conditional or limited purpose as determined by the Director.

  (38) “Subscription” means a method of playing a lottery game by which a player completes an application to play a specific number of lottery games using the same game data for a period of consecutive drawings.

  (39) Terminal.

    (a) “Terminal” means a computerized unit or software program that operates through the Lottery Central System and is specifically designed for:

      (i) Issuing, processing or printing a ticket;

      (ii) Processing an ePlayslip;

      (iii) Processing a playslip.

      (iv) Printing a report;

      (v) Confirming and activating a retailer’s receipt of an instant ticket book;

      (vi) Accepting payment for a ticket;

      (vii) Processing the validation and redemption of a ticket;

      (viii) Carrying out functions available to the retailer; and

      (ix) Any other process the Agency identifies as necessary for the State lottery and within the scope of the Lottery Central System contract.

    (b) “Terminal” includes:

      (i) A player-activated terminal or PAT; and

      (ii) A retailer-activated terminal; and

      (iii) Associated lottery equipment.

  (40) Unusual Claim.

    (a) “Unusual claim” means a claim of a prize, or multiple claims for prizes, over $600 that is abnormal in amount, frequency, pattern, or type.

    (b) “Unusual claim” includes a claim made by a claimant under circumstances indicating that a law or regulation may be violated and that the Director has a reasonable belief to be, based on the totality of the circumstances.

  (41) “Validate” or “validation” means the process of verifying through the Lottery Central System, whether a ticket is a valid winning ticket.

  (42) “Valid winning ticket” means a lottery ticket that has been validated.

  (43) Winner.

    (a) “Winner” means a person that holds a winning ticket.

    (b) “Winner” includes the claimant of a prize.

#### Regulation .02 Sponsorship Request.

*COMAR 36.02.01.02*

A. Scope. This regulation sets out procedures under which a person may submit a sponsorship request to the Agency pursuant to State Government Article, § 9-111(d)(1), Annotated Code of Maryland to promote the Maryland State Lottery.

B. A person holding an event in Maryland may submit a request to the Agency to sponsor the event.

C. Form and Content of Request.

  (1) A requestor for Agency sponsorship shall submit a request in writing to the Assistant Director of Communications.

  (2) The sponsorship request shall describe the event and include:

    (a) The date, time, and location;

    (b) A description;

    (c) The expected number of people in attendance;

    (d) The number of years it has taken place in Maryland;

    (e) The types of sponsorship opportunities that are available;

    (f) The cost associated with each type of sponsorship opportunity; and

    (g) An explanation with examples as to why the event may be a good fit for the Agency.

D. The decision to sponsor an event is within the sole discretion of the Agency and is not subject to review.