Anti-Lottery Laws Prohibit Use of Mail to Promote Lotteries
Federal statutes prohibit, among other things, the mailing or transportation in interstate or foreign commerce of promotions for lotteries or the sending of lottery tickets themselves. The text of the several statutes is set forth below. For a thoroughgoing analysis see Pic-A-State Pa., Inc. v. Reno, 76 F.3d 1294 (C.A.3 (Pa.), 1996). See also, the analysis and comments by Jeffrey Rodefer at Interstate Wagering Amendments.
Title 18, United States Code
Section 1301. Importing or transporting lottery tickets
Whoever brings into the United States for the purpose of disposing of the same, or knowingly deposits with any express company or other common carrier for carriage, or carries in interstate or foreign commerce any paper, certificate, or instrument purporting to be or to represent a ticket, chance, share, or interest in or dependent upon the event of a lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme, offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance, or any advertisement of, or list of the prizes drawn or awarded by means of, any such lottery, gift, [1] enterprise, or similar scheme; or being engaged in the business of procuring for a person in one state such a ticket, chance, share, or interest in a lottery, gift, enterprise or similar scheme conducted by another state (unless that business is permitted under an agreement between the states in question or appropriate authorities of those states), knowingly transmits in interstate or foreign commerce information to be used for the purpose of procuring such a ticket, chance, share, or interest; or knowingly takes or receives any such paper, certificate, instrument, advertisement, or list so brought, deposited, or transported, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more that two years, or both.
Section 1302. Mailing lottery tickets or related matter
Whoever knowingly deposits in the mail, or sends or delivers by mail:
Any letter, package, postal card, or circular concerning any lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance;
Any lottery ticket or part thereof, or paper, certificate, or instrument purporting to be or to represent a ticket, chance, share, or interest in or dependent upon the event of a lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance;
Any check, draft, bill, money, postal note, or money order, for the purchase of any ticket or part thereof, or of any share or chance in any such lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme;
Any newspaper, circular, pamphlet, or publication of any kind containing any advertisement of any lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme of any kind offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance, or containing any list of the prizes drawn or awarded by means of any such lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme, whether said list contains any part or all of such prizes;
Any article described in section 1953 of this title
-- shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both; and for any subsequent offense shall be imprisoned not more than five years.
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That should put an end to any further discussion on the legality of mailing lottery tickets.
The Hoosier Lottery routinely ignores the state laws under which it operates, so why should mere federal legislation give them pause? Janna Shisler, their legal counsel, doesn't seem to be a very good attorney. I can forgive ignorance, but stupidity has a price, and this one could prove very expensive for the Hoosier Lottery, because I can't seem to shake this feeling that the Postmaster General is going to see this email.
To Korean Redneck:
Thanks for a great post. I've printed this thread and added it to our folder of evidence against this crooked agency.