The executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, Ryan Mindell, has stepped down as the agency faces mounting investigations and legislative pressure over jackpot wins totaling nearly $200 million.
His resignation marks another leadership shake-up at the state-run lottery amid intensifying controversy. Mindell had held the position for only about a year following the abrupt resignation of his longstanding predecessor, Gary Grief.
The Texas Lottery Commission is currently under investigation by both Gov. Greg Abbott and State Attorney General Ken Paxton, who dispute the integrity of the lottery prizes and the handling of courier services—companies that buy and send tickets on behalf of customers online.
Jackpot Controversy Sparks Backlash
Established in 1991, the Texas Lottery contributes a portion of its annual revenue to the state's public school fund. In 2024, that amounted to a $2 billion infusion for education.However, in 2023, a New Jersey-based company called Rook TX conducted a large lotto ticket purchase—nearly all of the 25.8 million possible number combinations at $1 per ticket—effectively guaranteeing a jackpot win of $95 million.
The Texas Lottery faced scrutiny for not investigating the enormous rush order of ten to twenty times the typical number of Lotto tickets sold per draw.
Following the incident, Hall wrote a bill to criminalize courier services, but the proposal failed to gather the needed support in the House.
Reactions From Officials
The Houston Chronicle first reported the bulk ticket-buying strategy in 2023, but it was the February 2025 jackpot that drew the attention of state officials.On Feb. 26, Paxton announced a probe by the state attorney general's office into the two wins. The AG did not elaborate on why the second win was considered “suspicious and possibly unlawful.”
The payment for the jackpot has been on hold pending the investigations. An attorney for a woman who claims to hold the winning ticket has said it was legally purchased among a group of 10 she bought through the courier Jacketpocket.
Abbott's spokesman, Andrew Mahaleris, said Tuesday regarding Mindell: “The governor expects the Texas Lottery Commission to work within the bounds of the law and to ensure the trust and integrity of the lottery regardless of who leads the agency.”
A Texas lottery spokesman declined further comment on Mindell’s resignation.
Mindell’s Resignation
Answering to the scrutiny of lawmakers, Mindell in February said that the Lottery Commission had previously determined it did not have the authority to regulate courier companies, but said the agency would now move to ban them.The Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers accused Mindell of ignoring couriers’ “persistent requests to be regulated.”
The coalition said it hoped Mindell’s departure would restore “good faith collaboration” with the Lottery Commission.
What Comes Next
State lawmakers are approaching the final month of their biennial session and have suggested action ranging from writing a courier ban into state law or more drastic measures such as shutting down the lottery altogether.The state's House and Senate will soon negotiate a final version of the two-year state budget. The House version currently includes no money for the Texas Lottery Commission, which would effectively close it down.
But whether lawmakers will terminate an agency that generates billions annually in taxes and donations for public schools remains an open question.