Section 10. Definitions for lottery games

The following words and terms when used in any of the agency's regulations shall have the same meanings as defined in this chapter unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Agency" means the Virginia Lottery created by Virginia Lottery Law (Chapter 40 (§ 58.1-4000 et seq.) of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia).

"Altered ticket" means a lottery ticket that has been forged, counterfeited, or tampered with in any manner.

"Board" means the Virginia Lottery Board established by the Virginia Lottery Law (Chapter 40 (§ 58.1-4000 et seq.) of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia).

"Breakage" means the money accumulated from the rounding down of the pari-mutuel prize levels to the next lowest whole dollar amount.

"Cashing retailer" means an agency-licensed retailer that sells lottery products and is authorized to pay prizes.

"Computer gaming system" means any computer system owned, operated, or contracted by the agency that supports the sale, redemption, or validation of lottery tickets or wagers.

"Computer-generated game" means a game that is dependent upon the use of a terminal in direct communication with a game mainframe computer.

"Computer-generated ticket" means an electronically-produced ticket issued through the computer gaming system by a retailer to a player as a receipt for the number, numbers, or items or combination of numbers or items, the player has selected.

"Coupon" is a device, whether paper, or otherwise, that is approved by the agency for redemption.

"Director" means the Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery or his designee.

"Drawing" means a formal process of randomly selecting numbers, names, or items in accordance with the specific game or promotion rules for games or promotions requiring the random selection of numbers, names, or items.

"Entry" means a method, whether in electronic or paper form, by which a person enters a drawing or promotion.

"Game" means any individual or particular type of lottery authorized by the board.

"Misprinted ticket" means a lottery ticket or play that contains a manufacturing, programming, or printing defect that causes the game to no longer play as defined in game rules or does not properly validate against the game's validation files.

"Natural person" means a human being, and not a corporation, company, partnership, association, trust, or other entity.

"Play" means one wager for a chance to win a prize. There may be multiple plays on a single ticket.

"Prize" means any cash or noncash award to a holder of a winning entry or play.

"Prize structure" means the number, value, and odds of winning prizes for a game and the prize tiers within a game and the chances of winning a prize in each tier in an individual game as determined by the agency and as specified in the game rules.

"Probability game" means a game in which all of the tickets sold are potentially winning tickets and the outcome of the game depends entirely upon the player's choice or choices during game play.

"Promotion" means an "added value" offer to consumers or licensed retailers sanctioned by the director or approved by the board when required.

"Roll stock" or "ticket stock" means the paper roll issued or approved for use by the agency from which a unique lottery ticket is generated displaying the selected items or numbers.

"Scratcher" means a ticket with a coating over the play area that, when scratched off, reveals instant game play results.

"Scratch game" means a game that, when played, reveals or informs the player immediately whether he has won (i) a prize, (ii) entry into a prize drawing, (iii) prize points, or (iv) any combination thereof as specified in game rules.

"Share" means a percentage of ownership in a winning ticket, play, or subscription plan.

"Terminal" means a device that is authorized by the agency to function in an interactive mode with the agency's computer gaming system or systems for the purpose of issuing tickets, plays, or an electronic facsimile thereof, and entering, receiving, and processing game-related transactions.

"Ticket number" means the preassigned unique number or combination of letters and numbers or barcode that identifies that particular ticket as one within a particular game or drawing.

"Validation" means the process of reviewing and certifying a lottery ticket to determine whether it is a winning ticket.

"Validation barcode" means the unique number or number-and-letter code or barcode used to determine whether a lottery ticket is a winning ticket.

"Winning ticket," "winning wager," or "winning play" means the ticket, wager, or play that meets the criteria and specific rules for winning prizes as published for each game by the director.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 19, Issue 15, eff. May 7, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 26, eff. September 26, 2012; Volume 31, Issue 03, eff. November 5, 2014; Volume 32, Issue 03, eff. December 21, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§ 58.1-4007 of the Code of Virginia.