Bill > HB328

This bill modifies Maryland's state lottery regulations regarding instant ticket lottery machines for veterans' and fraternal organizations. The bill authorizes the State Lottery Director to issue licenses for up to five instant ticket lottery machines to veterans' organizations and up to three machines to fraternal organizations, which must be located in their principal meeting halls. The bill redefines key terms like "fraternal organization," specifying that these must be nonprofit, tax-exempt groups with at least 300 active members or a long-standing presence in a county. The legislation changes how proceeds from these lottery machines are distributed: veterans' organizations will now retain 50% of net proceeds, with the remainder going to various state funds, while fraternal organizations will retain 25% of net proceeds for scholarships and community programs, with the rest distributed to state initiatives like the Homelessness Solutions Program and the Education Trust Fund. The bill also places restrictions on where these machines can be located, prohibiting them in college-affiliated buildings, and requires that the element of chance in the lottery machines remains contained within the predetermined instant lottery ticket. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Budget and Finance

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0328?ys=2025RS