Should lottery winners’ names be kept secret?
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The Pennsylvania Lottery celebrated its 50th birthday on March 7th. The first prize was $50,000. Now, the lottery offers periodic drawings for $1 million prizes.
There are growing concerns about the privacy of lottery winners. Only eight states allow them to keep their names secret. In New Hampshire, a judge ruled in favor of a $560 million winner who wanted to remain anonymous. A former computer programmer of the Multi-State Lottery Association was convicted on charges of rigging the lottery. He was released on parole earlier this month after serving five of 20 years. If he doesn't make $1.6 million in restitution to the defrauded states, he will be sent back to prison. State Sen. John Yudichak wants to pass legislation that would give lottery winner's the option to stay anonymous and protect their privacy.
