News

Bipartisan legislators in Colorado have introduced Senate Bill 26-117 to reverse the Colorado Lottery Commission’s recent authorization of direct-to-consumer digital sales and credit card purchases. The legislative challenge highlights an escalating national tension between state lottery modernization initiatives and responsible gambling advocacy.

The lottery sector navigates evolving regulatory landscapes and product innovations amid steady digital shifts.

The most significant development in the lottery industry over the last 24-48 hours is the Mississippi Lottery Corporation's introduction of the new national draw game "Millionaire for Life," set to launch on February 22, 2026. This replaces or transitions to Lucky for Life in participating states, offering an annuity prize of $1 million per year for life as the top prize.

The most prominent recent development in the lottery industry is the release of The Lottery Corporation Limited's (Australia) H1 FY26 financial results, announced on February 18, 2026. This major operator reported resilient performance amid market conditions.

UAE and Illinois operators achieve or maintain top-tier World Lottery Association responsible gaming certifications, reinforcing international standards for player safeguards.

The most significant development in the lottery industry over the last 24-48 hours is the launch announcement and preparations for Millionaire for Life, a new multi-state draw game replacing Lucky for Life in many jurisdictions, set to begin drawings on February 22, 2026. This comes from official state lottery operators like the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and references across multiple state sites (e.g., Ohio, Colorado, North Dakota approvals noted in prior contexts, with recent confirmations).

The global lottery sector continues its steady expansion, driven by digital transformation and enhanced focus on transparency and responsible play.

The most prominent development in the lottery industry over the last 24-48 hours is the ongoing rollover and escalation of major U.S. multi-state jackpots. No jackpot winners in recent Powerball and Mega Millions drawings have led to significant prize growth.

The most prominent recent development in the lottery industry, based on authoritative coverage and ongoing relevance into early February 2026, involves the implementation of new U.S. federal tax rules affecting lottery and gambling winnings. These changes, effective January 1, 2026, stem from legislation (noted in sources as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act") and IRS guidance, including raising the reporting threshold for certain winnings and capping loss deductions.

The lottery industry enters February 2026 with a focus on regulatory adjustments, impending game launches, and ongoing preparations for major events.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed civil fraud charges against Lottery.com, a digital platform for purchasing lottery tickets, and three former executives. The regulator alleges the company and its leadership deliberately overstated revenues by hundreds of percent during 2021 and early 2022 to facilitate a merger and public listing.

Brightstar Lottery has clinched a major contract with the Wisconsin Lottery to deploy its advanced OMNIA platform and cutting-edge retail technologies. This move will integrate retail and digital channels, streamlining operations and elevating player engagement in one of the U.S.'s established lottery markets. The agreement highlights the growing demand for innovative solutions to drive responsible growth in the lottery sector amid evolving consumer preferences.

The lottery sector continues to see massive jackpot escalations in major multi-state games, alongside ongoing scrutiny of past draws and new game launches.

Allwyn has confirmed a comprehensive 24-hour suspension of all United Kingdom National Lottery digital services to execute the most significant technical infrastructure upgrade in the lottery's recent history. The operator announced on January 22 that the National Lottery website and mobile app will go offline from 11:00 PM GMT on Saturday, January 24, until 11:00 PM GMT on Sunday, January 25, to facilitate the migration of 11.8 million player accounts to a new central management system.

No jackpot winner in the January 19 drawing keeps the prize building toward potential nine-figure territory.

The global lottery sector continues to demonstrate resilience amid steady jackpot rollovers and notable player wins across major games.