Mont. Admin. r. 2.63.1201 - PRIZES

(1) Winning lottery and sports wager tickets will be redeemed:

(a) by any sales agent for lottery and sports wager tickets less than $600; or

(b) if the lottery ticket or sports wager ticket value is $600 or more, by presenting the ticket, a claim form, and valid, unexpired photo identification to the lottery, either by mail or in person. Play slip or sales receipt may not be used to claim a prize. Acceptable types of identification include an original or copy of:

(i) driver license;

(ii) government-issued identification card;

(iii) military identification card;

(iv) passport;

(v) permanent resident card;

(vi) Department of Veterans Affairs medical benefits card; and

(vii) tribal government-issued identification card.

(2) In lieu of the methods described in (1), a winning sports wager ticket may be redeemed to the player's account when the sports wager is managed through the player's account.

(3) A winning lottery or sports wager ticket may be redeemed only by an organization with a federal employer's identification number or by an individual.

(4) The claimant's city of residence and amount of prize is public information. The lottery may use a claimant's name and photograph for publicity and advertising purposes only upon written authorization by the claimant.

(5) Unless otherwise provided in the parameters for a specific game, a claimant shall sign the back of a winning lottery or sports wager ticket.

(6) The lottery may deny a claim for a winning lottery or sports wager ticket if the ticket:

(a) was not legally issued;

(b) was stolen;

(c) is altered, forged, or so mutilated that its authenticity cannot reasonably be determined.

(7) By submitting the claim, the claimant discharges the lottery of all further liability upon payment of the prize claimed.

(8) A lottery or sports wager ticket is a bearer instrument until signed. The person who signs the lottery or sports wager ticket is the bearer of the ticket. Payment of any prize may be made to the bearer, and all liability of the lottery terminates upon such payment.

(9) Upon validation of a winning claim, a check, electronic transfer, or warrant for the amount of the prize shall be issued to the claimant, less any applicable state or federal income tax withholding.

(10) A lottery or sports wager ticket not passing all validation checks is invalid and no prize may be paid on such ticket.

(11) The director's decision concerning validation and payment of any prize is final and binding.

(12) Prizes over $100,000 may be paid in equal yearly installments without interest over a period of not more than 20 years, as determined by the director. No installment may be less than $20,000.

(13) If the commission enters into an agreement to participate in a game for prizes over $100,000 that requires payment periods of more than 20 years or yearly installment payments of less than $20,000 as a condition of participation, the commission may adopt the installment payment amounts and time periods necessary to comply with the conditions of the game.

(14) All prizes payable at the death of a winner shall be paid to a designated beneficiary, the estate of the deceased, or to a person designated by judicial order.

(15) An owner or employee of a licensed lottery sales agent shall identify themselves as such to lottery officials when claiming a prize at the lottery office or through the claim mail process. This information must be recorded on the claim form maintained by the lottery as part of the prize file.

Notes

Mont. Admin. r. 2.63.1201

NEW, 1987 MAR p. 883, Eff. 6/26/87; AMD, 1988 MAR p. 51, Eff. 1/15/88; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 19, Eff. 1/13/89; AMD, 1990 MAR p. 226, Eff. 1/26/90; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 2849, Eff. 10/25/96; TRANS, from Commerce, 2001 MAR p. 2407; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 526, Eff. 2/24/06; AMD, 2007 MAR p. 2009, Eff. 12/7/07; AMD, 2014 MAR p. 1387, Eff. 6/27/14; AMD, 2016 MAR p. 2185, Eff. 11/26/2016; AMD, 2017 MAR p. 782, Eff. 6/10/2017; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 1155, Eff. 6/23/2018; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 291, Eff.3/16/2019; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 2229, Eff. 12/7/2019; AMD, 2022 MAR p. 40, Eff. 1/15/2022

AUTH: 23-7-202, 23-7-311, MCA IMP: 23-7-108, 23-7-202, 23-7-211, MCA