- A. In addition to the terms defined in State Government Article, §9-101, Annotated Code of Maryland, and in COMAR 36.01.01.01, which have the same meanings in this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
B. Terms Defined.
(1) “Activate” means:
- (a) To make a book of instant tickets ready for sale in the Lottery Central System; or
- (b) To make a ticket ready for sale.
- (2) “Announced end of game” means the date set by the Agency after which retailers may not activate instant tickets for that game.
(3) Bonus Drawing.
- (a) “Bonus drawing” means a game the Agency designates as a bonus drawing that may have a claiming period other than 182 days after the drawing in which the prize is won.
- (b) “Bonus drawing” does not include a daily or weekly lottery drawing.
(4) Bonus Game.
- (a) “Bonus game” means a game the Agency designates as a bonus game that may have a claiming period other than 182 days after the drawing in which the prize is won.
(b) “Bonus game” does not include a:
- (i) Daily or weekly lottery game; or
- (ii) Specific play features on a ticket.
- (5) “Claim form” means a paper or computer-generated document that identifies a prize claimant, prize amount, game and ticket characteristics.
- (6) “Coupon” means a paper or computer-generated code that a player may apply to purchase a ticket.
- (7) “Daily game” means a draw game for which the Agency offers a drawing at least once every day.
- (8) “Designated cutoff time” means the time after which a ticket may no longer be purchased for the next drawing of a specified lottery game.
(9) Draw Game.
(a) “Draw game” means a lottery game for which a winning result is determined by a drawing for which a ticket:
- (i) Is sold and redeemed through a subscription or through a terminal at retailer locations; and
- (ii) May be generated by a terminal and is a record of a transaction for a draw game.
(b) “Draw game” includes:
- (i) A jackpot game including a multi-jurisdictional jackpot game;
- (ii) A nonjackpot game including a multi-jurisdictional jackpot game;
- (iii) A monitor game; and
- (iv) Any other Agency-authorized lottery game designated as a draw game.
- (10) “Draw ticket” means a ticket purchased from a terminal or through a subscription for a draw game.
- (11) “Drawing” means a random selection event used for determining winning numbers game data of certain lottery games.
- (12) “Drawing date” means the day, days of the week, or times of day on which the winning game data a lottery game are selected.
- (13) “Entry” means a qualifying purchase or action by which a player may participate in a promotion or special activity.
(14) “ePlayslip” means an on-screen display or two-dimensional code, that:
- (a) Contains player-selected or randomly generated game data; and
- (b) Is electronically generated by a website or mobile application authorized by the Agency.
(15) Fast Play Game.
- (a) “Fast Play game” means a game issued by the Lottery Central System where predetermined game results are obtained from a finite pool of randomly generated results for that game and are available through the terminal.
- (b) “Fast Play game” does not include a draw game.
(16) “Game data” means any item or symbol used to identify:
(a) A winner of a lottery game, including:
- (i) Numerals;
- (ii) Letters;
- (iii) Symbols, and
- (iv) Icons including branded logos;
- (b) The cost of a ticket; and
- (c) Number of draws and which draws on a ticket.
(17) “In-lane ticket” means a ticket that:
- (a) Is purchased by a player;
- (b) May only be purchased at a retailer that is a commercial establishment; and
- (c) Is activated for play or produced when it is processed through a third-party point of sale terminal or cash register.
(18) Instant Game.
(a) “Instant game” means a lottery game for which a ticket has a covered area that the player exposes in accordance with the game instructions, and includes:
- (i) Scratch-off tickets; and
- (ii) Tickets using other methods of revealing a hidden area with pre-determined results.
- (b) “Instant game” does not include an in-lane ticket for a draw game.
- (19) “Instant ticket” means a ticket issued in an instant game.
- (20) “Instant ticket pack” or “instant ticket book” means group of tickets in sequential order bundled together.
(21) “Jackpot game” means a lottery game for which the top prize amount varies:
- (a) Based on sales; and
- (b) If the top prize was won in the preceding drawing.
(22) “Lottery Central System” means an integrated computer service and equipment that the Agency authorizes and procures for the purposes of:
- (a) Producing lottery tickets at retailer locations;
- (b) Facilitating lottery ticket transactions;
(c) Providing tools and the means by which retailers:
- (i) Determine sales;
- (ii) Cash tickets;
- (iii) Confirm receipt and activate an instant ticket book;
- (iv) Display of animations of winning numbers;
- (v) Process a ticket, ePlayslip, or playslip;
- (vi) Print special reports and tickets;
- (vii) Order instant tickets;
- (viii) Order supplies; and
- (ix) Coordinate the distribution of tickets;
- (d) Providing random number generating equipment to conduct and offer monitor games, Cash Pop and Fast Play games;
- (e) Communicating with lottery retailers; and
- (f) Performing any other function, the Agency identifies as necessary to the operation of the State lottery and accounting for its proceeds.
- (23) “Lottery Central System contractor” means the person under contract with the Agency to provide all the goods and services required under the contract for the Lottery Central System.
- (24) “Monitor” means a television screen or similar type of screen used to display monitor game results and other Agency communications.
(25) “Monitor game” means a draw game for which:
- (a) Tickets are generated by a terminal;
- (b) The Lottery Central System generates the winning result; and
- (c) Drawing results may be graphically displayed on a monitor.
(26) “Multi-jurisdictional game” means a lottery game offered by the Agency and:
- (a) Any other political entity outside Maryland or outside the United States;
- (b) Any private licensee of a state or a foreign nation; or
- (c) Both §B26(a) and (b) of this regulation.
- (27) “Nonjackpot game” means a lottery game where the top prize remains static.
- (28) “Odds” means the likelihood of an outcome to occur or not occur.
- (29) “Pari-mutuel” means dividing the prize money available for winners of a certain prize level in a lottery game equally among all plays winning the prize in a particular drawing.
(30) Player-Activated Terminal or PAT.
- (a) “Player-activated terminal” or “PAT” means a machine through which a player may purchase a ticket or claim a prize under an applicable tax reporting or taxable prize threshold without intervention by a retailer.
- (b) Player-activated terminal or PAT does not mean a machine that dispenses cash.
- (31) “Playslip” means a document issued by the Agency and used by a player to select the player’s game data.
- (32) “Probability” means the long-run ratio of the number of winning outcomes to the number of all outcomes.
- (33) “Progressive jackpot” means a jackpot offered in a lottery game that may increase in value based on sales of that game.
(34) Promotion.
(a) “Promotion” means:
- (i) An activity or game offered by the Agency to increase awareness of the Agency and its products and services;
- (ii) A contest that uses a second-chance drawing to determine a winner; or
- (iii) A cooperative marketing project under State Finance and Procurement Article, §11-203, Annotated Code of Maryland.
- (b) “Promotion” may include a lottery game if additional consideration is required for a player to participate.
- (35) “Retailer” means a person licensed by the Agency to sell lottery tickets.
(36) Special Bonus.
- (a) “Special bonus” means an extra payment to a retailer or its employees that the Agency authorizes;
- (b) “Special bonus” may not exceed one-half of 1% of the gross receipts from ticket sales for the year for which the bonuses are awarded;
(c) “Special bonus” does not include:
- (i) A bonus drawing; or
- (ii) Game play features on a ticket.
- (37) “Special license” means a retailer license issued by the Director for a conditional or limited purpose as determined by the Director.
- (38) “Subscription” means a method of playing a lottery game by which a player completes an application to play a specific number of lottery games using the same game data for a period of consecutive drawings.
(39) Terminal.
(a) “Terminal” means a computerized unit or software program that operates through the Lottery Central System and is specifically designed for:
- (i) Issuing, processing or printing a ticket;
- (ii) Processing an ePlayslip;
- (iii) Processing a playslip.
- (iv) Printing a report;
- (v) Confirming and activating a retailer’s receipt of an instant ticket book;
- (vi) Accepting payment for a ticket;
- (vii) Processing the validation and redemption of a ticket;
- (viii) Carrying out functions available to the retailer; and
- (ix) Any other process the Agency identifies as necessary for the State lottery and within the scope of the Lottery Central System contract.
(b) “Terminal” includes:
- (i) A player-activated terminal or PAT; and
- (ii) A retailer-activated terminal; and
- (iii) Associated lottery equipment.
(40) Unusual Claim.
- (a) “Unusual claim” means a claim of a prize, or multiple claims for prizes, over $600 that is abnormal in amount, frequency, pattern, or type.
- (b) “Unusual claim” includes a claim made by a claimant under circumstances indicating that a law or regulation may be violated and that the Director has a reasonable belief to be, based on the totality of the circumstances.
- (41) “Validate” or “validation” means the process of verifying through the Lottery Central System, whether a ticket is a valid winning ticket.
- (42) “Valid winning ticket” means a lottery ticket that has been validated.
(43) Winner.
- (a) “Winner” means a person that holds a winning ticket.
- (b) “Winner” includes the claimant of a prize.
Authority: State Government Article, §§9-103, 9-104, 9-109—9-111, and 9-122, Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: May 13, 2013 (40:9 Md. R. 790)
Regulation .01 amended effective December 2, 2019 (46:24 Md. R. 1104); May 26, 2025 (52:10 Md. R. 439)
Regulation .01B amended effective January 7, 2016 (42:26 Md. R. 1597); January 14, 2019 (46:1 Md. R. 13); September 21, 2020 (47:19 Md. R. 850)
Regulation .02 adopted effective May 26, 2025 (52:10 Md. R. 439)